Rising From The Ashes
by CharlotteEmberStark
Summary: Long before he was Iron Man, Tony Stark made a vow to protect the two things he cannot live without. His wife and daughter. Established Tony/Pepper. Eventual Peter/OC. Ned/OC (different OC) Starts briefly pre-canon and progresses all the way through to Far From Home. Also posted on A03 and WattPad under the same name and additional imageries.
1. Chapter One

**These first few chapters may seem quick, but it serves as a small set of background one-shots. Once the story reaches the canon storyline, it will be more detailed and in-depth.**

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

At seventeen minutes to midnight on November second, 2001, exactly nine months and three weeks after their fifth wedding anniversary, Virginia 'Pepper' Stark's water broke. Tony had reacted exactly as Pepper had instructed; he grabbed the prepared overnight bag that the couple had prepared some weeks before, and gently ushered his wife into the idle car that Happy had brought around to the front door. It took some maneuvering, but finally, with Pepper sitting as comfortable as possible, Happy's driving switched between careful and fast as Pepper's screaming was making everyone anxious. It took them half an hour to get there, and as soon as Tony yelled for help the nurses helped Pepper into a chair and settled her into a private room on the top floor of the hospital.

It was about an hour later when Rhodey arrived at the hospital, dressed in slacks and looking slightly tired. He found a concerned and progressively sweating Happy anxiously pacing in the main lobby, briefing the hospital security on how to handle the small crowd of journalists and press that had begun to gather at the main entrance. The pair sat outside of the private room, a small bear in Rhodey's hands, for the next four hours. There was one appearance by Tony, his hair tousled, and a thin sheen on his brows. Happy and Rhodey suddenly sat up in their seats and rose with anticipation of the news. Tony had been sent to get ice chips for Pepper and a coffee for himself. It was almost six in the morning, and there was still no sign of the baby, but the nurses were confident that that would change soon.

It was another two hours before the door opened again and Tony reappeared, his eyes still full with fresh tears and an ecstatic grin on his face; he informed Happy and Rhodey that the baby was here, and she was healthy and perfect in every way imaginable. The trio entered the room quietly, and Tony made his way to his wife and daughter, lightly kissing them both on the head.

Charlotte Maria Stark was born on November third at seven forty-three in the morning. Tony could not thank Pepper enough for including his late mother's name in their daughters. Holding his daughter, Tony surveyed the room absorbing the image of an understandably sleepy Pepper lightly talking to Happy and Rhodey, the laters gift lay in Pepper's lap. There was a small twinge in his heart as he thought of his parents, and the milestones in his life they never got to see; there was another and harsher twinge when he realized that their daughter would never get to meet her grandparents, who undoubtedly would have doted on her. As he watched Charlotte's tiny face react to the new sounds and sensations, he lightly traced a finger down the bridge of her nose, gently tracing the freckles that dusted her skin. Ignoring the insignificant voices in the back of his head that for the past nine months had been convincing him that he would be a terrible father, Tony made a silent promise to himself and his wife, but more importantly his daughter, that she would want for nothing, and he would stop at nothing to protect his family.

Whatever it takes.


	2. Chapter Two

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

The news of the birth of the heir to Stark Industries spread like wildfire, and it was not until about five months later that Tony and Pepper could finally leave their home at Malibu Point without someone trying to take their picture or catch a glimpse of the smallest Stark. Neither Tony nor Pepper wanted to leave their daughter, but they both felt the pressure and obligation to attend the charity benefit that was set up in the company's name. Rhodey had volunteered to look after Charlotte so the two of them could have a deserved night off; although they were both grateful for Rhodey's lending hand, it was after the sixth text message they began to suspect that their babysitter was out of his depth.

**6:10 PM**

_Hey Tony, just checking in and telling you that Charlotte is fine. Try and have some fun tonight._

**6:13 PM**

_Nothing to worry about, just one quick question - do you have any industrial-strength diapers, or is it normal for a baby to go through three in an hour?_

**6:14 PM**

_Also, where is the supply of milk you told me about? You have too many fridges, man._

**6:19 PM**

_Cancel that. I found it. I almost forgot that it was breast milk for a moment and very nearly added it to my coffee._

**6:27 PM**

_Does it always take this long to burp a baby? _

**7:25 PM**

_Everything is fine. Charlotte had a stomach ache and cried for about thirty minutes, but it was nothing that two diaper changes couldn't fix. She's asleep now. _

It was around ten o'clock when Tony and Pepper returned home and found Rhodey asleep on the sofa in the main living room. The couple thanked Rhodey for tonight and while Pepper was preparing the spare room for their babysitter, Tony silently crept into Charlotte's room taking extra care to avoid the newly loose floorboard just inside the nursery. He knew she was fine, JARVIS would have informed them otherwise, but that did not stop him from wanting to check on her every fifteen minutes.

It was unbelievable that at just five months old, Charlotte had Tony wrapped completely around her little finger, there was nothing he would not do for her. When the ultrasound first indicated that they were having a girl, the depth of that reality did not exactly sink in right away. Sure, it did not make an atom of difference whether she had been born any different, Tony knew that it would not change anything as far as he could see. A few weeks after Charlotte's birth, a journalist came into his office at Stark Industries for a business interview and asked if he had wished they had had a son - someone to follow in his footsteps, as he had done with his own father. It took some resilience for Tony to compose himself, but he made it clear that he did not wish that. The only thing he wished for, was that his parents could meet their granddaughter who one day if she chooses, would be the owner of Stark Industries.

Sighing in defeat, as the negative thoughts and twinge returned, Tony sat in the armchair placed to the right of Charlotte's crib and simply watched. He wondered if she knew how loved she was. Surely, she must? As unaware and innocent as she was in this current moment in time, he was sure she could sense his presence as she gently began to stir in her sleep, her face scrunching as if reacting to something. Tony was on his feet in seconds and quickly scooped his little bundle into his arms; he held her close, as close as he could, feeling unwilling to ever let her go again. Charlotte grunted a few times before finally settling again once Tony began to gently rock her and run his pointer finger down her nose - this was something he found always calmed her down and sent her to sleep without fail.

The room was silent, apart from the baby's low and steady breathing which mixed with his own. Tony found that it was the quiet moments like this, where he began to think about how his life would change now he was a father, which would ultimately lead to him thinking about his own father - something he had managed to regress for almost a decade. He reflected that Howard Stark was a strict and disciplined father who on more than one occasion, showed more interest in his job and Captain America than his own family. It was almost as though he was a burden to him. He did not hate his father. He could never say that he did, after all, his father worked as hard as he did for him and his mother. He did wish that he could at least have had the chance to say goodbye to them before they left that fateful day. Or at least, he should have told his father he loved him.

Closing his eyes, he suppressed those memories and focused on the present and what mattered. His daughter was what mattered to him now, as well as Pepper; he had made a promise to himself and his wife that he would not be a carbon copy of his father, or at least he would make a gallant effort not to. The last thing he wanted was for his daughter to grow up resenting him for being too involved in his work and for not being there. He would never be an estranged father.

Lost in his own thoughts, he failed to hear Pepper enter the room until she placed a hand on his side. "You know," Tony startled the smallest amount when she whispered from beside him. "You don't have to stand here all night. She isn't going anywhere."

Tony sighed. "I know. I just wish she would stay this small forever." He gently placed Charlotte back into her crib and placed her favourite yellow teddy bear from Uncle Rhodey, next to her. He turned to Pepper and placed his arms around her middle; she rested her forehead on his chin and lightly pressed his chest, a yawn escaped her as she relaxed.. "Come on. I think it's bedtime for all of us." Tony breathed in the scent of her hair and pressed a kiss to her crown. A content smile spread onto Pepper's face. It had been five months already. Just five months. Pepper was looking forward to but also dreading how Tony would react as their daughter grew.


	3. Chapter Three

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**October 2002**

**Charlotte's age: Eleven months old.**

It was just two weeks until Charlotte's first birthday and it was becoming quite unbelievable at just how fast time was passing. Sometime in the early afternoon whilst Tony was in the middle of a full day of business meetings and interviews, Pepper had taken her husband's overly booked schedule to bring her work home. She was in the middle of completing Tony's portfolio and schedule for the next week of Stark Industries work when she heard Charlotte begin to grizzle from her playpen in the centre of the living room.

Marking her workplace, Pepper made her way over to where her daughter was having a rather intense conversation, in her language of course, with her yellow bear which had aptly been named Ro, after her Uncle Rhodey. Placing the child on her hip, Pepper bounced her lightly as she walked back over the couch and sat down. Charlotte did not seem to settle and started to fidget.

"What's wrong, Charlie?" The nickname had sort of happened by accident. Tony had said it once while trying to coax Charlotte into eating her lunch a couple of weeks ago and it simply stuck.

**\- Three weeks previous -**

_Charlotte scrunched her face and grunted, twisted away from the offending spoon in front of her._

_"Come on, baby. You have to eat something." Tony tried to coax her into at least licking the spoon. Granted, it did not look the most appealing food, nor did it smell great. He tried once more, but he soon found it to be in vain as the scoop of orange paste-like food landed on his t-shirt. "Okay." Tony sighed, raising an eyebrow at Charlotte as she giggled widely from her high chair. "Looks like we can cross carrot off the menu."_

_Dropping the spoon back into the car, he looked at the splash of orange again. He pulled his shirt out to inspect it further; giving it a smell, Tony found himself reacting in a similar fashion to his daughter. He exhaled, mouth closed tightly, and turned his head away from the stain. "Yeah, I don't blame you, kid. I don't know what that is, but it isn't the carrot." He grabbed the jar and threw it straight into the nearest trash. He sauntered over to the fridge and swung the door open. "Now then, Charlie. Let's make you some real food."_

_Setting her keys and portfolio onto the table in the hallway, Pepper sighed heavily feeling the muscles in her shoulder tense, aching after her long day. "Tony?" She called, wandering further into the house. Due to the lack of response, she presumed he would be in his workshop or office, and Charlotte was taking a nap. That was until she heard music, laughter and mechanical whirring coming from the kitchen. Shifting her path towards the kitchen, Pepper followed the high and happy squeals; she rounded the corner and paused for a moment as she braced herself for the disaster zone that was her kitchen._

_Stepping inside, she took a deep breath and feasted her eyes upon the scene before her._

_The lack of smoke was reassuring, to say the least. Tony had pulled Charlotte's high chair up to the breakfast bar, and she was happily hitting a spoon on the tray table. "Tony," Pepper sighed as she cast her eyes on her husband standing over an open-topped blender that was filled almost to the brim with a suspicious-looking brown paste. "What is all this?"_

_"Oh, hey sweetheart." Tony quickly wiped a splash of the brown sludge from his arm and walked around the bar top. He wrapped his arms around her middle and placed a kiss on her head. "How was your day?"_

_"It was fine. What are you doing in here?"_

_"We are making baby food." He motioned to the blender and then to Charlotte who was now sucking on her plastic spoon, seeming content. "Our daughter is quite the connoisseur, and quite literally turned her nose up at the 'carrot'", he placed these into air quotes, "flavoured slop, that was most definitely not carrot or edible"._

_"What is that?" Pepper motioned to the blender, half expecting it to begin to bubble. "I don't trust it when it's that colour."_

_"It tastes a lot better than it looks." Tony licked the spoon he was holding and licked his lips as if he had just created a five-star meal. "It's chicken, sweet potatoes, corn and a little bit of milk and blueberries for flavour." He casually explained, whilst placing some of the food into a bowl and setting it down in front of Charlotte once again._

_"That's disgusting, you know that right?"_

_"Someone disagrees." Tony pointed towards his daughter who was now happily reaching towards the spoon as he fed her. Pepper walked to the blender and sniffed the concoction it held. She wrinkled her nose and turned her face away. "Everyone's a critic, aren't they Charlie?"_

**_\- Present-day -_**

The news channel that was playing quietly in the background suddenly caught Pepper's attention, when a live video feed of Stark Industries flashed on the screen. The television was muted, but she watched as the cameras followed Tony and Obadiah Stane as they walked across the courtyard of the offices with a group of sharply dressed men. Pepper immediately recognised them as a group of potentially big investors Tony was scheduled to have a lengthy meeting with that afternoon. As a close-up image of her father flashed up on the screen, Charlotte began to wriggle in Peppers lap and with one arm extended, she thrust she small, chubby hand towards the television.

"Who is that?" Pepper cooed, placing Charlotte on the rug, smiling as she pulled out her phone knowing that Tony would appreciate the video at the end of his stressful day. Charlotte began to slowly crawl towards the TV, squealing happily to herself. "Who is it, Charlie?"

"Da."

Pepper stared at her daughter in amazement. "Did you just say, Da?" Charlotte had made it to the coffee table and had managed to pull herself up using the coffee table as leverage. She bounced happily and squealed. "Da! Da-da!"

Oh my god. Her first word. And of course, it had to be Da. Pepper laughed in astonishment, knowing that Tony would never let her live it down. "That's right, Charlie! That's Da-da!".

"Da-da?" Charlotte turned to look at Pepper with a puzzled look; she had to stop herself from laughing at how her daughter was getting steadily angry at Tony, through the screen, for not answering her. "Da-da! No!" Pepper had to stop recording after Charlotte threw her teddy bear in the direction of the TV.

"Charlotte, no. We do not throw things at Da-da." She stooped down and scooped her daughter into her arms, settling her stuffed toy back into her grasp. "No matter how much we want to at times."


	4. Chapter Four

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

Life for the Stark's went on as normal for the next two and a half years. As Charlotte grew, the territory that Stark Industries covered expanded also, which meant that Tony was beginning to find that he was not at home as often as he should be, or as often as he wanted to be. It was one night when Charlotte was almost four years old and Tony was six days into a fortnight-long business trip, a thunderstorm was rolling in from the East Coast that had kept everyone in their homes for the past forty-eight hours. The residents of Malibu seemed to be adhering to the advice of the local news and were avoiding leaving their homes, as the roads flooded and the trees rocked heavily in the gale-force winds; the rain was bearing down on the expansive glass windows at Malibu Point.

However, Pepper could not focus on that right now. She was more concerned with comforting the small child that was sobbing in her arms, her tiny legs wrapped around her middle, and her arms tightly holding around her neck. The little girl's body was coated in a sheen layer of sweat, her nightie clinging to her damp body. Charlotte's temperature had begun to spike two mornings prior, and after two sleepless nights, it appeared that tonight would be no different. With little warning from her daughter, Pepper carried her into the bathroom just in time for her to violently heave into the toilet bowl; she held her daughter's hair and rubbed her back as the girl sobbed and whimpered in distress and concern.

This was not the first time that Charlotte had been sick, it was perfectly common for toddlers to pick up germs on a regular basis. However, this was the first time that sickness had lasted more than twenty-four hours, and Pepper was growing more and more concerned. That morning, she had woken to J.A.R.V.I.S notifying her that Charlotte's core temperature was elevated, and her heart rate had increased ever so slightly; having entered her room, her daughter was sitting upright in her bed, crying whilst holding her stomach and her head. J.A.R.V.I.S informed Pepper that Charlotte's temperature had risen to 99.5 degrees from 97 degrees the previous night. Throughout the day, the young Stark became increasingly lethargic and refused to eat or drink anything out of fear of vomiting.

It was now eight o'clock in the evening, and after managing to persuade the child to have a glass of water and a few small bites of plain bread, she was now sitting on the floor of Charlotte's bathroom as she cried exhaustedly into her neck. Another red flag waved violently when Charlotte made an attempt to stand up and she staggered, her right leg then buckled underneath her and she fell onto the hard and cold tiles, clutching her leg in pain. After consulting J.A.R.V.I.S, and declaring that nothing was broken or fracture within her leg, Pepper decided that enough was enough and made the decision to take Charlotte to the nearest hospital.

While she was in the next room, preparing to leave, having already called for a driver, she heard Charlotte retching heavily. Pepper hurried back into her daughter's bathroom with a small rucksack in hand, her heart dropped at the sight. Charlotte was still sitting on the floor, her head barely reaching the bowl as she heaved into the toilet. The stench of sweat and bile mixed in Pepper's nose, burning as she breathed deeply, fighting against her own nausea. This feeling was quickly replaced with concern as she recollected that Charlotte had not managed to eat a full meal that day on account of her fever and fatigued state. The amount that the child was vomiting was worrying, and it was clear that she had nothing but the lining of her stomach to bring up as she continued to heave in Pepper's arms, her small frame was coated in a warm sheen, the sweat dampening her t-shirt.

The drive to the hospital seemed as if it took an hour, when in reality it was no more than twenty minutes in the evening traffic. The weather had taken a turn for the worse. Thunder continued to roll across the skies and the rain lashed down upon them. While in the car, J.A.R.V.I.S informed them that he had tried to contact Tony, but he appeared to be unavailable at the moment.

"I don't care what you have to do. Make him available."

"_Right away, Mrs. Stark."_

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Pepper rushed out of the car, cradling her crying and shaking daughter in her arms. Throughout her short childhood, Pepper and Tony had done everything they could to keep Charlotte out of the public's eye; avoiding press and reporters had become a daily occurrence, however at this moment in time, it was the farthest thing from her mind as she hurried into the emergency department. After reporting to the receptionist, who promised that they would handle the situation with transparency and secrecy, Charlotte was promptly seen by a doctor.

It was at this moment that her phone rang and Tony's name flashed on her screen. She answered, not taking her eyes off their daughter.

"_Hey Pep, sorry I missed your call. The meeting overran an-"_

"Tony. You need to come home." Her speech was rushed but her tone remained serious and low, a clear signal to her husband that something was wrong.

"_Why? What's wrong?"_

"I'm at the hospital." Her straight composure faded as she fought hard not to cry. In the background, she heard a slight rustling which she guessed was Tony grabbing his suit jacket; he quickly barked an order for Happy to get him to the airport.

"_Are you okay? Is Charlie okay?" _He sounded out of breath as if he was pacing or walking quickly.

"I don't know. She's got a fever and wouldn't stop vomiting. She couldn't stand up and her legs were in pain and -" She was getting more frantic by the second as she watched the doctor poke and prod Charlotte with different instruments, wires now lay across her chest as a machine recorded her breathing and oxygen levels.

"_Pep, Pep, I can't make out what you're saying. What hospital are you at?" _

She filled Tony in on everything that had happened that night, and he informed her that he was already on his way to the airport. "_I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise."_ The call disconnected and Pepper felt a heavy weight in her chest. Even on a jet it would still take Tony almost two hours to reach them.


	5. Chapter Five

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

One hour and fifty-three minutes later Tony burst through the main doors of the emergency department of the hospital, with Happy in tow. The sight that greeted the pair when they were shown to the private examination room was hard to take in.

Sitting on an uncomfortable plastic chair, Pepper was positioned by the bedside, her hand encasing Charlotte's small hand, being mindful of the dozens of wires and tubes that were surrounding the child. Tony swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at his daughter lying asleep in the bed. Her skin was now a transparent shade of grey, yet her cheeks were flushed with heat; a sheen of sweat covered her body and her breathing seemed wheezy and shallow.

"Pep," Tony spoke quietly, not wanting to startle his wife, who seemed to be falling asleep herself.

"Tony," Pepper sighed, and stood from her seat. As she moved across the room to her husband, Happy walked around the couple and took a seat by Charlotte's bedside, a hand resting on her head in concern.

Tony opened his arms for Pepper to fall into, her head tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped securely around her body, keeping her pulled close to his body. "I'm sorry it took so long. The storm slowed us down."

"You're here, that is the main thing."

"Mr Stark. Mrs Stark," The doctor approached them with caution, not wanting to intrude on their sentimental moment. "We've managed to bring your daughter's fever down slightly, so it is much more manageable, however, we are going to have to conduct further tests."

"Why? What do you think is wrong with her?"

"Truthfully, we aren't one hundred percent sure, that is why we need the tests. But at first inspection, we suspect that she has a viral infection of sorts. They're very common among young children, especially at her age, but we just want to double-check and be safe."

"What about her leg?" The doctor seemed puzzled as if he had no idea what she was talking about. "She was complaining of her leg hurting, and she couldn't stand up properly or put any pressure on it. I did tell the nurse when we checked in."

"Hmm." The doctor flipped over the clipboard and examined the papers. "There is nothing in Charlotte's notes about pains in her legs." He explained, looking perplexed at the chart he held in his hands.

"Well, why wasn't it in her notes?" Tony asked, his brows pinched in frustration.

"The nurse forgot?" Tony snapped, glaring at the doctor. Bashful and clearly embarrassed and intimidated, the doctor hustled past them and back to Charlotte, who was still sound asleep despite everything that was happening around her.

"Which leg was it?"

"Her right one." Pepper explained. She closed her eyes for a brief second as she recalled watching Charlotte crumble to the ground in pain as her leg just seemed to give way beneath her. Tony ran a comforting hand along her back, gently squeezing her hand as they watched the doctor flit around the bedside. "While she was vomiting, she tried to walk to her bathroom but as soon as she stepped off her bed, she just started screaming and fell to the floor."

"Has she had an accident recently, that could have caused any damage?" The doctor asked and Pepper shook her head in response. The doctor frowned and as he raised the blue blanket from Charlotte's legs, his face dropped, as did Tony and Pepper's. Their daughter's right leg, from her toes to her knee, was a vibrant mixture of purple, red and blue; the skin looked wet as it was so swollen and taunt. Happy, who had moved to the side to give the doctor space, was now standing back near the door, his gaze trained on the Stark's as they took in the sight before them.

Pepper gasped, her hand covering her mouth as tears streaked her cheeks. "It was not like that when we got here." She turned to Tony, his jaw was set strong and his eyes were focused hard on Charlotte's leg. Neither of them could believe what they were seeing, and they did not get a second to question what was happening as the doctor's composure changed. He seemed to spring into action as he slammed his hand on the red emergency button by the head of the bed.

"What is happening? What's wrong with her?!" Tony barked, his arm tightening around Pepper as an alarm blared in the room; a red light pulsating above the bed and outside the doorway. The room seemed to shrink in size as another doctor and a nurse rushed into the room, and in a split second Charlotte was being whisked away from her parents, the wheel of her bed squeaked as she was rolled down the corridor. All Tony could do at the point was hold onto his wife as she crumbled against his body, sobs racked through her.

* * *

They had been sitting in the private waiting room for almost an hour before anyone came forward to give them an update. It had been the longest hour of their lives, as it would be for any parent. For the first twenty minutes, Tony had remained calm and was trying his best to comfort Pepper; all she could think of to do was hold Charlotte's stuffed animal in her hands and run her thumb over its plastic eye. It had now been over an hour, and all calmness that Tony was feeling had long disappeared and he was now pacing back and forth around the waiting room, trying to catch the attention of any doctor or nurse who could tell them what was happening.

Happy had decided to wait outside of the hospital with Pepper's driver, a patient at the hospital had noticed the Stark's present and had posted an update on social media. There had not been any instructions by the press as of yet, but Happy decided to take the precaution of heading any of them off at the main doors - he wanted to give the couple as much privacy as possible.

Another ten minutes passed and they were still no further forward. For the first time, Pepper looked up from the stuffed animal in her hands and glanced at her husband as he continued to pace, his feet landing heavily on the floor. "Tony." Her voice was all but a whisper. "Come and sit down, please."

"Why isn't anyone telling us what is happening?"

"I don't know." She sighed, sitting back in her seat so her head was leaning back against the cold wall.

"This is ridiculous. Our daughter is somewhere in this hospital and we're supposed to be okay with that?"

"They'll tell us something when they actually know what is wrong with her."

"Jesus, Pep, you saw her leg. That was not normal, it was not a viral infection."

"Tony, will you just stop it!" Pepper snapped, she could not take it anymore. Of course she was worried about Charlotte, what mother wouldn't be? "There is nothing that we can do at this moment besides sitting here and waiting for someone to come to us." The couple fell back into the silent routine of waiting.

For another fifteen minutes they sat in silence and waited, their nerves shredding by the second. Finally, the same doctor as before came into the waiting room, he seemed pale and visibly nervous as he approached the couple. As much as neither of them wanted to admit it, there was something about the doctor's appearance and disposition that did not give them hope; unknown to his wife, at this moment, Tony had prepared himself for the worst case scenario.

"Is someone going to tell us what is going on?" He asked before the doctor reached them.

"Mr Stark, Mrs Stark. I think you need to follow me."

* * *

Tony and Pepper felt as though their world was crashing down around them. Pepper sat in the chair by Charlotte's bed, numb as they listened to the doctor explain what they had discovered.

"Meningitis? Are you sure?" Tony asked in disbelief, his shoulders were sagged as he stood by Charlotte's bedside, holding her small and pale hand in his own.

"At first we thought it was a stomach infection that was causing the vomiting, but her temperature peaked at one hundred and two degrees. Her internal body temperature became so hot that her body could not handle it, and caused her to vomit profusely."

"Oh my god." Pepper whispered, running a hand over Charlotte's head. She was still incredibly warm and sweating, even with the cooling blankets surrounding her. A tear rolled down her cheek as she observed her daughter - she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but Pepper knew that even with all of the medication and sedatives she was on, Charlotte was incredibly sick and no doubt was in a lot of distress.

"We've managed to stabilize her temperature, and we've given her a sedative that will help her sleep. We are fairly confident that her body will fight the infection over the next few days." The doctor was trying to be reassuring, but Tony could see that there was something he was not telling them. There was something in his posture that told Tony that there was more to her sickness than a fever. "However, the discolouration and swelling of her leg is a result of venous thrombosis - a blood clot brought on by the rapid progression of Meningitis."

"What does that mean?" Pepper asked, her voice cracking as she looked away from Charlotte for the first time since entering the room.

"We have a surgical theatre prepared, however, we just needed your consent."

"Wait, surgery? What are you talking about?" Tony placed a hand on Pepper's shoulder as she visibly started shaking at the dramatic update.

"The blood clot is too developed to be treated with natural medications or thinners, and it is dangerously close to rupturing. If we have any chance of saving Charlotte's leg, we need to operate immediately. I should advise you both, that there is no guarantee that the surgery will be successful."

The tension in the room was thick and sat heavy on everyone's shoulders. "What are her odds?" Tony looked at his daughter, his eyes prickled with tears as he observed her shallow breathing and the grey-green hue her skin had adopted over the past hour.

"At the moment, we believe that we have a thirty percent chance of being able to successfully remove the clot and save the leg."

"And the other seventy percent?" Neither of them wanted to know the answer.

"We can't save her leg. The clot may be too far evolved, and embedded into the muscle and tissues, that it may be too dangerous to try and remove it without causing unimaginable damage to Charlotte. The only option may be to remove the infected area entirely."

Silence fell upon the room once more, as the Stark's took in the news they had just received. "Amputation?" Pepper gasped, fresh and hot tears spilled down her face now as she grabbed Tony's hand that was resting on her shoulder; she held onto it tightly as her world tumbled down around her. The doctor nodded solemnly. The couple were stunned into silence. At just four years old, their daughter had not one, but two life threatening conditions. And now they were faced with an incredibly difficult decision for any parent, but in their minds, there was only one option.


	6. Chapter Six

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**2008 - Three and a half years later**

The past few years had been an incredible struggle for the Stark family. In such a short time, her life barely began, and their daughter had to come to terms with the reality of having a physical disability. It was something that no-one could have been prepared for, and when Pepper first found her daughter that night, crying and vomiting in her bedroom, she could never have imagined that the outcome would have been anything like it turned out to be.

To say it had been difficult would be an understatement. At the age of three, Charlotte had to learn how to walk all over again - newfound freedom that had been so quickly taken away from her. After her operation, Charlotte spent almost four months in hospital, recovering from meningitis and her life-changing surgery. Two weeks after her operation she began her intense physical therapy - something that was painful for the entire family. A small glimmer of light in these bleak times was that Charlotte fully discharged in time for Christmas, although the festive period could not distract the family from the harsh reality they were facing.

It was not until Tony was sitting in his office, facing another sleepless night, that he found the exact thing he had unknowingly been searching for. While clearing out an old filing cabinet, he stumbled across a tattered box, containing personal items labeled with his father's name. As he was not a very sentimental man, Tony simply discarded the box to one side and continued his attention on the task at hand. However, as the night dragged on, Tony could not push aside the voice in the back of his mind that was telling him that he needed to look in that box.

Reluctantly, Tony placed the box on the desk, blowing a thick layer of dust from its lid as he opened it. Inside the box was a strew of loose pieces of paper, not all of them were important, some more than others were blank or just had scribbles and sketches on them. There was nothing of any significant importance, however, just as he was about to push the box to the side, he notices a folded piece of blue paper in the far left corner of the box, hidden underneath a pile of blank paper. A moment of euphoria swept over Tony as he unfolded the paper and held it under the desk lamp. The once vibrant blue was now faded as were the pencil lines and writing, but once he held it under the light, it was immediately clear to Tony what he held in his hand. It was the original blueprint, more of a rough sketch, of his father's very first designs for a project that he never got to complete.

Unknown to everyone, Howard Stark was planning on creating a new line of prosthetics and appendages for soldiers and veterans. The main source material was one that was well known to Tony, as it was the same material that his father used to create the accessory for the world's first and only super-soldier.

With somewhat sad eyes, Tony smiled to himself. "Thanks, Dad."


	7. Chapter Seven

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**February 2008,**

That day, Charlotte awakened with a bad feeling.

She was only six years old, yet Charlotte was quite a sensitive and emotional child. It was a feeling that followed her everywhere she went while she was away from her parents, particularly during her homeschooling. It was like she had an ache in her chest, but it was worse and she couldn't comprehend what it was. It was unsettling to her mainly because she didn't know what it was, but she could only describe it as a feeling of anticipation. Something told her that whatever was coming, was not a good thing. She knew that her father was going to be away on an important business trip for the next few days, however, the knot that was tightening in her stomach was steadily causing her concern.

Her father had been in Afghanistan for three days now; after taking a lunch break from her homeschooling and lessons, Charlotte and Hugh, her tutor decided to move to the living room. They were both sat on the couch, watching and waiting for Tony's presentation to appear on the news channels, as scheduled. The knot in her stomach was ever more present when the news reporter said that the presentation would not be going along as scheduled due to unforeseen circumstances.

He had not called her yet, and that was strange, as he promised her would call her before his presentation. Charlotte tried to refrain herself from focusing on the negative, as her mom always told her to do. An hour passed and Charlotte was back in the kitchen, studying with her tutor when the landline on the wall started to ring, the sudden shrill was invasive and caused Charlotte to flinch away from it.

"Finish reading the chapter, Charlotte. I'll be back in a minute." Hugh said, walking around the kitchen island to the phone. He answered it and barely finished his sentence before he was cut off. "Hello, Stark reside-."

He stopped abruptly, his brows pinching as he cupped the bottom of the receiver in an attempt to hear better. "Mrs. Stark, I can't understand you. Is everything alright?" Charlotte peaked over the top of her textbook and watched Hugh carefully, the uneasy pressure of the knot in her stomach had now risen to her chest. "Okay, don't worry. I'll take care of her."

Another pause and Hugh glanced over his shoulder, narrowly missing Charlotte peering over the book at him. She quickly diverted her attention and pretended to be concentrating on the task at hand. "Of course. I'll see you soon."

* * *

It did not take a genius to figure out that something was wrong. It was currently four in the afternoon and Hugh was still at the house; he was never normally here after two o'clock. Charlotte was a smart child, incredibly smart for her age, and she knew that he was trying to distract her. They had played board games and listened to music in the entertainment room, and he made sure that they did virtually everything apart from turn on the television.

Half an hour later, Charlotte was lying on the couch throwing a ball in the air and catching it. She heard the front door open briefly and close abruptly. She knew that it was her mother, judging by the sounds of heels on the tiles flooring. Hugh was quick to greet her, making sure to keep the door to the study close behind him to prevent Charlotte from hearing their conversation. She was left in the room with her racing thoughts for about ten minutes before she heard the front door open and close again.

Charlotte had been sitting alone in the study for ten minutes now. Her mother had not entered the room once, in fact, she did not think that she had heard her mother leave the kitchen during this time. Ten minutes turned into fifteen. Fifteen turned into twenty. Charlotte tried to disassociate herself from the feeling of nervousness that was radiating throughout her entire body, but with each passing second, the deafening silence became more unbearable.

Thirty minutes had passed when Charlotte decided that she would go and look for her mother. Her barefoot padded on the tiles floor, the faint metallic clicking sound seemed to echo around the eerily silent hallways. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears, the skin on the back of her hands was clammy and the nervous disposition that had been around her all day was ever more present; it was almost sickening.

Timidly, Charlotte rounded the corner into the kitchen, and cast her eyes upon her mother standing at the island, her upper body was bent over the counter and she held her head in her hands. From the shallow and shuddering movements of her shoulders, Charlotte could tell that she was crying.

"Mom?" She spoke quietly and leaned against the wall. Pepper startled slightly at the sudden intrusion, and she stood up but remained facing the other direction. Pepper wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffled. She straightened completely upright when she felt a pair of small arms wrap around her side; she immediately returned the embrace, crouching down to her daughter's height and holding her head to her chest, hugging her close.

"Charlie, I need to tell you something," Pepper spoke in a serious tone, her voice was lowered - it was unsettling and made Charlotte feeling increasingly uncomfortable. "Something bad has happened. I need you to be strong for me, okay?"

Being an incredibly empathetic person, Charlotte knew that whatever was happening, she needed to be there for her mom. She simply nodded without blinking, tears threatening to spill as the pressure began to internally press down on her.

With a heavy sigh, Pepper continued. "Your dad is missing."

Charlotte stiffened. Her heart was hammering and it felt as though it was trying to violently burst out of her chest.

"Uncle Rhodey called. Your dad never made it to his presentation. His escort vehicle was targeted."

"What?" She didn't register that her voice was trembling until her mom held her tighter, resting a hand on the back of her head.

"Sweetheart, there is no easy way to say this. Your dad was kidnapped."

Kidnapped. She had an understanding of the word, but only to a basic extent. All she knew was that it meant that her dad had been taken against his will. He was more than likely injured, hurt, possibly badly. She had always been told by her parents and Happy, never to talk to strangers or to anyone without either of them present.

Pepper pushed back slightly, holding her daughter at arm's length. She was unsettled by the lack of external response. "Charlie?" The look on her daughter's face broke her heart. Her eyes were so vacant and lost. Pepper could feel Charlotte's chest convulsing as the child tried to steady her breaths as the silent sobs racked through her tiny body.

Her dad was missing and right now her mom needed her.

And that was the biggest reality check she could have ever received. And it was a one that would change her forever. The range of emotions that Charlotte was experiencing was almost overwhelming, and that made her fearful. It was almost as if the dangerous world her father her spent her entire existence shielding her from, had suddenly collided with her idyllic existence. With a flip of a coin, her dad was in danger, and now he was the one who needed saving.

He had to be okay. He was her dad and she needed him. He would come home to her, to her mom.

He had to.


	8. Chapter Eight

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

Arms constricted, Tony lay on the rusted metal gurney; his body was riddled with blood, a crater cut in his chest. He's held down while an anguished, chilling cry rips from his mouth, and his agony continues.

A pair of leather gloved hands lowered a contraption of sorts into the crater in Tony's chest. A soiled and ragged cloth was held over his face, the overwhelming chemical stench burned his eyes and throat; the last thing he thought of before the darkness swallowed his vision was Charlotte's face, her voice echoed as she helplessly called out to him.

* * *

Yinsen stood over the makeshift cot as Tony lay there motionless; it took a moment for him to regain consciousness. As his mobility and sense returned to him, he slowly stood with the aid of Yinsen. The new mechanical addition to his chest emitted a vibrant, blue light, casting a gentle hue on Tony's stubbled and bruised face.

"You still haven't told me where you're from," Tony mused nonchalantly after the pair had been sat quietly for a while.

"I'm from a small town called Gulmira. It's actually a nice place."

"Got a family?"

"Yes. And I will see them when I leave here." Yinsen looked over the fire at Tony. The flickering flames reflecting on his skin, a thin sheen of sweat coating. "And you, Stark?"

For a fleeting second, the two exchanged eye contact until Tony looked away. He absently mindedly ran his thumb over his wedding band, his skin felt rough against the cold metal; he felt a sharp tug in his chest. "I have a wife. We've been married for twelve years." In his throat, a lump formed, "We have a daughter, Charlotte. She's only six."

"So you are a man who has everything, money, a loving family, and intelligence."

Tony lifted his gaze back to the flames. The flames reflect in the tears that prickled in his eyes; with a brisk swipe of his hand, he wiped them off. "That just means that I have everything to lose. We almost lost her once. When she was a baby, she got sick. Meningitis. There was a blood clot that ruptured in her leg during surgery, and they weren't able to save it."

"I'm sorry, my friend." Yinsen's face softened at the revelation. Tony's jaw locked as he was mentally taken back to the emergency room. The room was silent as they simply sat there for a moment before Yinsen leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on Tony's arm. "She is happy and healthy, and that is what you have to hold onto."

Tony was determined to avoid the suffering he went through when he lost his parents to Charlotte. She was so young, and he didn't know whether she or Pepper would recover from it completely.

He was going to fight like hell and get back to his little girl.

* * *

From the depths of the tunnel, a faint circle of light appeared, showing a complete suit of armor. Dangerous and unnerving, it is. The Ten Rings assailants staggered backward but never faltered. Instead, a command shrilled through the air, and each individual proceeded to unleash their own personal attack on the suit. With the onslaught of bullets, the armour became brittle, but Tony refused to collapse and surrender.

On seeing that they had virtually no impact, the assailants stopped firing their guns. The slits in the mask revealed his heavy and sunken eyes, revealing nothing but resolve and anger. When the guns fell silent, Tony spoke low and threatening.

"My turn."

Tony raised his arms and from the suit, a fire erupted. The fire spread quickly, allowing the attackers a split second to respond, with most preferring to throw themselves back out of reach. Their cries flooded the tent and they were engulfed by the heat and fire. He burnt them all, pouring fire on the very thing that landed him in this position. Tony took the opportunity to turn his attention to the stockpile of his own weapons. Every gun and every missile.

The flames abruptly ceased from Tony's arms as the bullets as powerful shots began to ricochet off of the metal suit. More soldiers entered the battle, in quick succession shooting at the suit and eager to kill it. In the gap of the joint in Tony's knee, one bullet found its mark; the armour buckled while bullets continued flying above and around him.

He was not done yet. He was down, but Tony was not out. And when he was on his knees, surrounded by flames, he fired and shot the side of the crate. The explosive inside detonated violently, and the attackers withdrew again. Tony eventually stumbled to his knees, inside the mess of fires and fire. The battered and dented armour burst from the campsite through the rising smoke and fire, veering backwards. Abruptly, the fuel in the armour stopped and Tony screamed in confusion as he began to spin through the air, scattering parts of his suit everywhere. He lets out a pained grunt as he rolled to a halt and crash-landed in the sand, the armour broke his fall.

Sitting up, Tony shook out the mass of wires and metal that had been stuck to his arms; he took the mask, turned it over to the side, and discarded it. Before pulling himself to his feet and continuing his journey through the desert, he sat there for a few moments, catching his breath. In an attempt to cast shade from the unforgiving light, his jacket was wrapped over his head; his arms were coated in a coating of gradually dried blood and mud.

As he walked up a dune of sand, the distant sound of an engine came almost out of nowhere. Confused, on the spot, Tony turned around, attempting to find the sound source. A helicopter flew over the horizon as suddenly as the sound materialized, followed by a second and a third.

"HEY!" screamed Tony, flailing his uninjured arm desperately. He kept screaming and screaming until the helicopter landed; he dropped to his knees, laughing like a maniac; exhaustion washed through him.

A squad of soldiers, led by a familiar face, made their way over to him. Rhodey's face was creased with concern and empathy for his best friend, "How was that fun-vee?" he laughed dryly. When Rhodey kneels down in front of him and places a soothing hand on his back, Tony releases a strained grin, relief filling his features. "Next time you ride with me, okay?"

Rhodey 's voice was weak and almost cracking, but when he gathered Tony in a firm hug, he managed to steady himself. His weathered and tired friend, thankful for the encouragement, leaned heavily against him.

"I want to see them. I want to see my baby girl," Tony whispers faintly in Rhodey's ear.

"You're going home, Tony. You'll see her soon."


	9. Chapter Nine

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**April, 2008**

Within Malibu Point, it was eerily silent.

It had been two months since Pepper received the fated phone call from Rhodey. As she went downstairs, tears threatened to spill as she cast a look over the dark and quiet room, the normal tinkering Pepper would hear coming from Tony's lab. What she wouldn't give to hear rock music blaring from the speakers once again. The room that had once been packed with the joyful laughter of Charlotte as Tony chased her across the room was now empty. The halls seemed to be empty and packed with painful reminders of the memories created within these walls.

In a depressed condition, Pepper had noticed that Charlotte had lost interest in all of her passions and hobbies. A child who would normally spend hours sitting on the piano at a time, playing over and over again, would now sit on the stool and just look, vacant at the keys before sobbing openly and running to her bedroom.

Charlotte will barely sleep for more than four hours a night, refusing to eat or drink, and only wished to be alone in Tony's lab. The most concerning part was that, as of late, Charlotte had simply refused to accommodate her prosthesis that Tony had specially designed for her. During these days, Charlotte would be found, sitting in her wheelchair in the lab, staring motionless at Tony's workbench. It was as if she was picturing him, tinkering with whatever gadget he was fixating on.

A week later, Rhodey left to join Tony's search team. Before departing, knelt before his god-daughter, looking the girl in the eye and promised her that he would find her father and bring him home to her.

When the days passed by in a haze, along with the rest of the world, Charlotte began to accept that Tony Stark was gone. Her father was presumed dead, and all that everyone could concentrate on was Stark Industries' next successor. There were others who felt the corporation was going to be turned over to the government and not Pepper, as Tony would have wished.

Obadiah Stane, a life-long family friend, managed to run Stark Enterprises as normal despite these heated altercations. To check on the well-being of the grieving families, he made frequent visits to the Stark household. He would frequently bring Charlotte gifts and presents in an attempt to keep her spirits lifted - a notion that was greatly appreciated by Pepper.

* * *

**May, 2008**

In the last three months, Charlotte's emotional state has decreased considerably. And she was starting to lose faith that she would ever see her father again, as much as it pained her to admit it.

Pepper started to have to physically urge Charlotte to eat. She knew that her father was missing; her husband was missing, too. When she thought about Tony and whatever circumstances he was being held in, the tightness in her chest was excruciating.

Her mom and Happy and Uncle Rhodey tried everything within their capability to keep the little girl's spirits upright and her hopes alive. All Charlotte would say is that when he returned, her dad would have to make up for the months he lost, which was a relief to everyone, when she tried to be hopeful. But at the same time, everybody was scared that if Tony was actually dead, then what would happen to Charlotte's mindset?

* * *

**May 6th, 2008**

Charlotte stood on the airport runway with her mom and Happy, watching the US Air Force plane land in front of them. Pepper's eyes were swollen and red; Charlotte jumped from side to side as she tried to contain her enthusiasm, her hand clasped closely in her mom's. The previous day it was as if life suddenly flooded back into Charlotte when Rhodey called them to inform her that he had kept his promise and he was bringing her father home.

The ramp slowly opened at the rear of the aircraft. Charlotte slipped out of Pepper's grasp as soon as she laid her eyes on him and raced for her dad, not wanting to waste a second away from him any longer. She was closely followed by her mom, her heels cracked against the concrete as she jogged across the runway.

Rhodey stood beside Tony, encouraging his friend to lean on him for support while he stood out of his wheelchair and started down the ramp slowly. He let go of Tony as soon as they were on the tarmac, awaiting the reunion. He watched as Tony fell to his knees and caught his daughter and she collided with his chest.

"Dad!" Charlotte sobbed as she buried her face into his neck, "You came home!", her body shook as she sobbed and clung to his jacket, she just needed to be as close to him as possible.

"I'm here, it's all right. It's over," he said quietly as he repeatedly kissed her forehead. As he noticed that Charlotte seemed skinnier than the last time he saw her, Tony grimaced; he could see it as he hugged her arms and her face appeared pale. Looking above his daughter's head he saw Pepper quickly approaching them, tears streaming down her face as her hair whipped around her face. "Incoming," Tony chuckled, pushing himself up from his knees.

Pepper's body slammed against his, her arms wrapped around his back and her fingers dug into his jacket as she tried to pull him as close as she physically could. Separating for a second to kiss her firmly, Tony inhaled her sweet scent deeply, something he had missed doing so dearly. With their daughter squished tightly between them, Pepper held him at arm's length, wincing at his appearance - his arm was supported by a sling and his face was littered with bruises, cuts, and scrapes. "You're alive." Was all she could breathlessly say.

"Watch it, coming up here," Rhodey walked into the reunion, as medical officers approached with a gurney, however, Tony promptly dismissed them.

"Are you kidding me with this? Get rid of them." He kept his arms firmly around his wife and daughter as Rhodey waved off the officers and the stretcher. Charlotte held her father's hand tightly as the three of them made their way to the car. Happy was waiting by the passenger door, a relieved smile on his face as he shook Tony's hand.

"Welcome home, Sir." Tony smiled and pulled him into an embrace.

"Thank you for looking after them." Tony would never forget his gratitude for his loyal and trustworthy friend and bodyguard. They all got into the car, and as Happy sat in the driver's seat, he peered into his rear-view mirror, smiling at the sight. Sitting side by side in the rear, Tony and Pepper clasped their hands closely in Pepper's lap, her thumb affectionately rubbing over Tony's swollen and bloodied knuckles. Charlotte was sitting on Tony's lap, never loosening her grip on him as she wanted to be as close as possible to him. Her head was tucked under his chin, her eyes closed as she grinned happily.

Clearing his throat, Happy spoke. "Where to, Sir?"

"Take us to the hospital, please, Happy." Pepper answered, but Tony instantly refused.

"No."

"Tony, you have to go to the hospital. The doctor has to look at you." Pepper suggests, presenting him with a worrying glance. Charlotte too was worried. Her dad had been kidnapped and held hostage for months, and now as he returned, battered and bruised, he did not want to seek medical attention.

"Mommy's right." Her small voice shocked everyone in the car. She raised her hand and lightly touched a wound on Tony's jaw. "You're hurt. The doctor will help you."

Tony looked down at his daughter and her soft and saddened eyes. He never did have any resilience to her deep brown eyes. "I'm not hurt, sweetie. I'm fine. Or I will be, once I've had a cheeseburger." As Tony tickled her sides, making her squeal in his embrace, Charlotte replied gleefully to this. He passed a look to Pepper, who was not impressed in the least bit.


	10. Chapter Ten

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

They ended up going to Burger King, and then after watching Tony order six cheeseburgers - four for himself and two for Charlotte, Happy pulled the car up to the front of Stark Industries. Tony had thought it would be in the best interest to hold a press conference. Pepper had been opposed to it, but he insisted - for the sake of the company - he had said.

As the press and photographers were still waiting on the kerbside, news had spread rapidly. Charlotte recognized a familiar face coming from the crowd, and when she saw Obadiah entering the car and opening the door for them, she felt relieved. He caught Charlotte's hand and helped the girl jump out of the car; he put his hand on top of her head, smiling affectionately at her.

When she heard the photographers begin to holler and shout questions, Charlotte stiffened. She was used to being at the forefront of media coverage with her family, but she was still a child, and all this coverage continued to shake her. Stepping out of the car, Tony noticed her discomfort and unease and took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly, "Stay close to me."

"Look at this! Tony." Obadiah embraced Tony, patting his business partner on the back. He puts both hands on Tony's shoulders as he steps forward, staring directly into his eyes. "We were supposed to meet at the hospital."

"No, I'm all right," Tony confirms, holding his Burger King bag in his free hand.

"You had to get a burger, did you?" He turned to Charlotte, gently bending forward. "I hope he ordered you one too."

She enthusiastically nodded. "I had two." She smiled, obviously pleased with herself. Smiling, Obadiah shook his head and they made their way into the building, brushing past the reporters and their cameras. Tony's hand remained firmly wrapped around Charlotte's, and even though he did not show it, he was begging to feel enraged at how evasive they were being towards his daughter. Tony could not help but overhear some of the questions they were hurling in their direction - specifically those that revolved around Charlotte and her prosthetic.

As they approached the main foyer, Tony turned to Charlotte and crouched to her level. "I'll be right back. Stay with your mom." He kissed her forehead and made his way to the podium stand. Charlotte stayed behind and grabbed onto her mother's hand.

Cameras flashed as reporters shouted inquiries and questions at Tony. She was distracted momentarily when she noticed a smartly dressed man approaching them out of the corner of her eye. "Mrs. Stark?"

"Yes?" Her mom was trying to focus on the conference, too distracted to pay the man any real attention.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"I'm not part of the press conference, but it's about to begin right now," Pepper turned to look at the man. She did not recognize him as a reporter, and the emblem that was etched into his jacket's breast pocket was not known to her.

"I'm not a reporter. I'm agent Phil Coulson; I'm with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Linguistics Division."

"That's too many words," Charlotte said, looking confused at Agent Coulson. She tried to repeat the title in her head, but only got as far as the first word.

"I agree. That is quite a mouthful," Pepper commented as she reached for the card the agent was handing her.

"We're working on it." Agent Coulson nodded in acknowledgment.

Placing the card in her suit pocket, Pepper turned her focus back to the press conference - it seemed to be running smoothly and although Tony was currently sitting on the floor eating his fourth cheeseburger, Pepper trusted that Obadiah could retain control for a few minutes. "You know, we have been approached by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA..."

"We are a separate division with a more specific area of focus. We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape."

Pepper sighed, she did not want to be focusing on work right now. She had just gotten her husband back after three months, and already, everyone wanted to arrange meetings and talks. "I'll put something in the book, shall I?" She did not mean to sound dismissive, but it came across that way.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stark." Agent Coulson nodded. Looking down at Charlotte, he gave her a small but genuine smile. "Miss. Stark." She returned the smile with a small wave as he turned and walked away. Charlotte decided that she liked Agent Coulson, he had a kind face and spoke softly.

The pair turned their attention back to the conference. A reporter had asked her dad what happened to him while in Afghanistan. The restricting knot reared its head again and sat firmly in Charlotte's throat; her mom must have sensed her discomfort as she leaned back into her legs, Pepper placed her free hand on her shoulder and held her close, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Tony had since stood, and was pacing around the podium nonchalantly. "I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I have more to offer this world, than just making things that blow up." He came to a standstill at the podium, his gaze cast over the tops of every reporter's head, and fell instantly on Charlotte's. She gave him a small smile, and Tony could feel his heart swell at how her eyes were so full of light and pride for him - her father. "I came to realize that I have so much more to lose now than I did when I took over this company. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries,"

From here on out, I was chaos. In order to make their questions heard, Reporter rose and stumbled over each other; Obadiah reached Tony and placed a hand on his back, whispering lowly into his ear as he attempted to move him from the podium. Tony, however, was adamant and held his ground. "Until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be. What direction it should take, one that I'm comfortable with and consistent with the highest good for this country, as well."

Obadiah stepped up to the podium and bent next to the microphone; as Tony casually walked off the stage and sauntered back to his family, he began answering the reported in a flustered manner.

Charlotte was unable to believe what her dad had just done. This business was his life, the thing to which he had dedicated his whole being. "What did Dad just do?" She turned to her mom and looked up at her, her eyes confused.

"I don't know. I really don't know." Pepper replied, albeit confused herself. Tony walked over and placed a kiss on her cheek, she did not reciprocate, she could only look at him severely and with a stern eye. "I hope you know what you are doing."

"I do. It's something I should have done a long time ago."

Charlotte was primarily puzzled, she knew what her dad had just told the media, but she didn't really understand why or what the ramifications of his decision would be. Tony bent over and picked his daughter and laid her on his hip, noticing the uncertainty written on the girl's face. Putting her arms around his neck, Charlotte leaned her head on his shoulder, tucking as far as she could into him. The media thrived on the interaction and shot around them with cameras and questions were thrown around them. "Miss Stark! How do you feel about your father being home? Are you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy." She shyly raised her head to smile at the reporters; they were all politely laughing at her, but this did nothing to dismiss the knot in her stomach. "I love my dad, he's my best friend. I never want him to leave me again."


	11. Chapter Eleven

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

Charlotte slept in her parents' room on the first night of Tony's return; none of them objected to the child's request. She lay in the centre of the bed, with her parents on either side of her. Tony woke up sometime in the night as he felt a weight on his stomach. Slightly squinting, he glanced down and saw that, as she clung to his sweater, Charlotte had rolled up against his side, her arm draped over his stomach.

He held her nestled just under his uninjured shoulder, on his side. Tony found it therapeutic to have his daughter so close to him, but the nightmares that flooded into his sleep at night did not end.

He woke up early, but he remained in bed, and he lied on his side, watching his wife and his daughter sleep beside him. The features of Pepper's face were calm and gentle as she slept; it was the first time she had slept all night in three months; it was the first night she hadn't cried into a light slumber. Tony felt comfortable and really didn't want to leave the bedroom, but he had set his mind on launching his new project.

Another two hours had elapsed when Charlotte woke up. She had fallen into such a deep sleep that when she first stirred up alone in the large bed, she did not remember her surroundings. After fitting her prosthetic securely - something that Pepper and Tony made sure that she knew how to do on her own, she hopped out of bed in search of her parents. J.A.R.V.I.S informed her that her mom was in a meeting in her office and her dad was in his workshop.

She ran down the hallways and spiral staircase at such speed that when she tried to round the corner into her dad's workshop, the metal of her foot slipped on the freshly polished flooring. Her knee collided with a table and struck the floor with an empty beaker, throwing glass fragments around her as she sat on the floor, frozen.

Tony raised his head from his workbench at the sound of a glass shattering and a little shriek of surprise and found Charlotte sat on the floor. "Honey? Are you all right?" He jogged over to her and saw that she was holding her hand in her lap. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"I think so," Charlotte shrugged and raised her hand, finding her open palm smeared with blood immediately. When she slipped, she must have placed her hand on a glass piece.

Tony crouched down and, taking care of her hand, picked Charlotte up and sat her on top of the closest countertop. "Hang on, let's get you off the floor," he picked up her hand softly, uncurling her fingers to examine the injury. The wound had no glass; it was a smooth, superficial wound, and the blood made it look worse than it was. Charlotte sucked in a breath flinched away from his touch as he examined the wound. "Sorry, honey, but I've got to clean it."

"Will it hurt?"

"Probably not," Charlotte furrowed her brows and gave her father an unimpressed look - the same look Tony had seen on Pepper's face more than enough times. He stretched to reach the shelving unit above them, bringing down a small first aid kit. Wetting a paper towel with disinfectant, he gently placed it on her palm, again causing Charlotte to flinch.

"You said that it wouldn't hurt!" She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her uninjured hand as a natural reflex.

"Correction. I said that it _probably_ wouldn't hurt," Tony removed the paper towel and wiped away the remaining blood that was staining the side of her hand. The cut was only small and would not require stitches, just a bandage.

Charlotte raised her brow and quipped back. "Correction. You're stupid.

* * *

Around two hours had passed before the Charlotte crash-landed in the lab; after hearing the commotion, Pepper came downstairs and suddenly panicked when she saw the bloodied paper towel and a white bandage on Charlotte's hand. Pepper ushered the child out of the workspace quickly, ignoring her objections.

They were now seated in the family room upstairs, Charlotte was seated on the rug, her school workbook leaning on the coffee table. In the meantime, Pepper had the news channel on as she helped Charlotte finish the job she had dropped back on in the previous three months.

A loud voice caught Charlotte's attention as a man on the screen began shouting in an animated fashion about the events of the previous day's press conference.

_"Stark Industries! I've got one recommendation! Abandon ship! Does the Hindenburg ring any bells?" _Charlotte glanced at her mother and saw the irritated and exasperated expression on her face. _"Let me show you the new Stark Industries business plan!"_ The man took a baseball bat and aimed it at a mug in front of him in the middle of the news stand. The mug broke immediately, and when it came through the speakers, the cracking sound was louder than she expected. _"Look! That's a weapons company, that doesn't make weapons! But you know what they do make, by the look of things - artificial limbs and prosthetics."_ Pepper froze for a second, passing a side glance towards Charlotte before looking back at the screen, her hand hovered over the mute button. _"We all saw Charlotte Stark at the conference yesterday - there is no way that our hospitals are funded enough to make prosthetics of that advanced level. You're trying to tell me that Tony Stark has access to something that is so desperately needed by veterans and he has only made one for his own daughter? Do you, that's who I feel most sorry for in this whole situation? I really pity for that little girl because I cannot imagine what it must be like having a father as chaotic and self-absorbed as Tony Stark."_

Pepper pressed the mute button and slammed the remote back onto the coffee table, she was furious at the newscaster - she made a mental note to contact the station at a later date. "Idiot," Charlotte mumbles, shrugging the man's empty words off. "Whatever, I don't care what he thinks. I think my leg is cool."

Pepper grinned at her daughter, feeling a little proud of her cool reaction to the remarks made by the arrogant man. Suddenly, Tony's voice rose from the workshop.

_"Hey, Pep. Can I borrow you and your tiny hands for a minute?"_

Pepper exchanged a confused glance with her daughter before calling back in response. "Do I really want to know what you're doing down there?"

_"Would you just come down here? I need your help."_ His tone had a sense of urgency, so Pepper eventually conceded. In order to accompany her down to the garage, Charlotte climbed to her feet as her mom did, curious about what her dad was up to down there. _"If Charlie is with you, tell her not to come down here."_

"What? But, dad -" She whined, frowning in his general direction, as if she could see her.

_"Please just do as I ask, Charlie."_

"Fine," Charlotte conceded with a pout, lying down with a thud on the sofa.

"Don't pout, it doesn't suit you." Pepper grinned at her stubbornness, a trait she had inherited from her father. Charlotte stuck out her tongue in response, a small giggle passed her lips. As her mom disappeared from the room, she turned her attention back to the television. The offensive man was still ranting about the press conference; she thought back to the comments he had made moments ago. She did not need an insignificant stranger handing her fake and satirical pity. She understood that both of her parents have had to make some difficult decisions in their lives - both personal and career-wise, but she did not for a second believe that either of them had anything other than her best interests at heart.

She loved her parents, along with all their flaws, with all her heart. And no matter what, she would not change that for the world.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**July, 2008**

It had been two months since his return and Charlotte was glad that he had now completely recovered from his injuries and he seemed to be back to his quirky self and ways.

When her summer vacation began, Charlotte felt like she was able to relax for the first time in a very long time. She had been behind in her school work for the past few months, but she breezed through her school work with the help of Hugh and was outstanding in each of her lessons.

Pepper had been in the middle of her usually crammed work schedule, and even though she insisted on taking Charlotte into the office with her, to give Tony some space, he reassured her that he would look after Charlotte, no problem. What his wife did not know was that as soon as her car disappeared from the driveway, Tony had Happy bring his car around and the pair made their way to the U.S Air Force Base where Tony had arranged to meet Rhodey.

It was nice for her to see her dad spending time outside his workshop, and entirely out of the house when he had spent so much time alone there in the last few months. She found it odd that her father unexpectedly didn't want her to keep him company in his workspace anymore, but she just didn't mind as long as he was around her.

"Why are we visiting Uncle Rhodey here?" She asked, holding Tony's hand tightly.

"I need to talk to him about something." A familiar voice is heard when they walk inside the hanger, just as a plane rolls overhead. With her uncle at the helm, Charlotte sees a group of young men and women, presumably new recruits, standing in a semicircle.

"The future of air combat, is it manned or unmanned? I'll tell you, in my experience, no unmanned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot's instinct, his insight, that ability to look into a situation beyond the obvious and discern its outcome, or a pilot's judgment."

"Colonel?" Tony speaks up before Rhodey can continue any further, causing the group to turn and look in their direction, a collective look of surprise passed across their faces. "Why not a pilot without the plane?" He added.

Excusing himself from the group, who were now talking excitedly amongst themselves, Rhodey approached them with a smile on his face. "Look who fell out of the sky, Mr. Tony Stark," He shook his friend's hand, patting a hand on his back. "Hey, baby girl," He ruffled Charlotte's hair and she hugged him tightly, making her uncle kneel down to her level. "Oh, I've missed you too. But you've got to stop growing. I can't keep up with you." He stood back on his feet and turned to Tony. "You know, I'm surprised to see you."

"Why?"

"I swear I didn't expect to see you walking around so soon." He admitted.

"Well, I'm doing a lot better than walking," Tony stated with a smug grin.

Rhodey crossed his arms and gave his friend a questionable, if not wary look. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm working on something big. That's why I'm here. I want you to be a part of it."

A small smile crept past Rhodey's lips. "You're about to make a whole lot of people around here really happy, cause that little stunt at the press conference, that was a doozy," He stated with a sense of humor and a shake of his head. Charlotte wondered if her dad was referring to whatever super-secret project he was currently working on, all day and every day.

Tony hesitated for a few seconds in an attempt to find the right words. "This is not for the military. It's different."

This explanation earned a curious glance from Rhodey. "What? You're a humanitarian now or something?" He raised a brow. He didn't exactly want to sound harsh but he was growing impatient.

"I need you to listen to me - "

"No," It was now Rhodey's turn to cut Tony off. "What you need is time to get your mind right. Whatever happened to you out there, it was traumatic." He passed a glance down to Charlotte, noting the obvious concern on her face. "What you need to do is go home, spend some time with your daughter. God knows how much she missed you."

A tight-lipped grin is offered by Tony, but the hurt is visible in his face as his friend pushes forward. "I'm serious," Rhodey concluded.

"Alright," Tony's response was barely a whisper as he nodded to his friend, his face fell completely.

"It was nice seeing you, Tony. Take care of him for me, sweetheart." Rhodey said, more softly towards Charlotte as he ruffled her hair. She watched as her uncle turned his back and walked away, clearly finished with the conversation at present.

Charlotte watched as her dad's gaze followed after his friend as he turned his back and walked away from them without a second glance. She spoke timidly, she did not like to see him so sad. "Dad? Are you okay?"

Composing himself quickly, Tony looked down at her, a forced smile on his lips. "I'm all right, honey. Let's go." He took her hand and the pair started to walk away from the hanger.

"But, dad - "

"Do you want waffles? I want waffles." He cut her off, gazing into the distance. "I think that will make me feel better."

Charlotte didn't know why her dad looked so unhappy. She frowned at him, "Okay, dad. Let's get waffles." She knew, even though she was still young, that he didn't want to talk about stuff that bothered him and made him sad. He would typically flip a switch and totally overhaul the conversation, and it was something she had just learned to cope with. She once asked her mom, but all she said was, "Your dad is a difficult man. Try not to worry."

Charlotte, however, always worried.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**3:47 AM**

Suddenly, Tony sat up, sitting bolt upright in the large queen bed. As he struggled to regain control of his breathing, drops of sweat peppered his forehead and fell down his temples.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, lights," he ordered, out of breath. The thin covers had been shoved off his body by his shaking hands.

_"At present, it's forty-seven minutes past three in the morning, sir. Is everything alright?"_ asked J.A.R.V.I.S.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good." He was having flashbacks of his encounters in Afghanistan for the third night that week. Tonight was, however, strange. This was the first time that Tony woke up in bed alone. That morning, Pepper had left to attend an over-night conference at Seattle University, and that night, Tony desperately missed her presence next to him.

Concluding that sleep would elude him that night, Tony got up from his bed and walked straight down the hallway to his daughter's bedroom. He felt an overbearing urge to check on her. As he leaned around the ajar door and saw Charlotte sleeping peacefully, hugging her yellow teddy bear tight to her, the urge was satisfied. At the base of the bed, her blanket was discarded; he gently placed her back under the blanket, planting a kiss on her forehead.

As he stood in the room, his thoughts turned sentimental. Charlotte was the most important person in his life, on par with Pepper. But he also knew that he had people in his life that he had to protect - like Rhodey. Even though the Colonel turned his back on him a few days ago, he understood how important Rhodey was not only to him but his daughter. As was Happy; although he was a seemingly new addition to the circle, Tony's bodyguard slash driver had grown on him at a fast rate; he knew that he could count on Happy with not only his life but his families too.

After standing by the door for another ten minutes, Tony decided to go back to bed and try to sleep.

* * *

**9:43 AM**

As Charlotte got up that morning, she lay for at least another twenty minutes in her bed. The morning by the ocean had been brisk and breezy, even at the height of the summer; she snuggled close to her blankets before eventually getting out of bed.

She walked down the stairs, the marble felt cool against her bare foot; as she reached the ground level, she could hear music coming from the kitchen.

"Good morning, J.A.R.V.I.S!" she called out, idly following the music.

_"Good morning Miss. Stark, your father is in the kitchen, at present."_ The A.I greeted her.

"Is something burning?" She pondered, smelling what seemed to be charcoal.

_"Yes. That would be breakfast."_

True to the words of J.A.R.V.I.S., Charlotte was taken back, when she entered the kitchen, by the cloud of smoke emanating from the frying pan that her father was waving a kitchen cloth over at the time._  
_

"Stupid pan. How difficult is it to fry bacon, for fu-"

_"Sir, I advise you to hold your tongue since Miss. Stark is currently present."_ J.A.R.V.I.S. quickly intersected.

"Charlie!" Tony exclaimed, "It's still early, what are you doing out of bed?" He says as Charlotte walked up to the breakfast bar.

"Dad, it's almost ten." She adds, curiously eyeing the smoldering frying pan. "Hmm. Charcoal, my favourite." She jokingly licked her lips, earning her father's sarcastic glare as he pointed the spatula in her direction.

"Hilarious," Tony checked his watch, his eyes slightly widening as he gazed at the time in what must have been hours for the first time. "Well, what do you know? It's almost ten."

"How long have you been awake for?" She couldn't help sounding concerned, as she tried to climb onto the barstool, but the metal of her foot slipped off the footrest. Tony put the cloth and pan down and hops around the counter, lifting his daughter by her sides and sitting her on the barstool. He made a mental note that she had managed to get herself dressed and fit her prosthetic correctly, without needing his assistance.

He didn't intend to make her worry. He replied, putting on his best smile: "Just an hour or so. You know me, I'm an early riser." Placing a kiss on her head, Tony took in the amused look on her face; it seemed to age her, making her seem somewhat older than she was. "Look at you! You fit your leg all by yourself."

Charlotte nodded, a proud smile on her face, "I told you I could do it now! Mom said that I was a big girl, for doing it."

Tony gave her a slanted smile. On one hand, he was immensely proud of how well she had adjusted to her handicap, but at the same time, he did not like that she was growing up before his eyes and gaining her own independence.

"Sure you are. Tell you what big girl, since I've cremated this bacon, how about we go out for breakfast?"

* * *

**11:50 AM**

They ended up going to Harry's brunch place, it was tiny but homey and Tony really enjoyed his time. There weren't a lot of people here, only other families bringing their children out for a brunch that appeared more involved in themselves, than Tony Stark and his daughter. There were a few looks that Tony tried not to catch, only grateful that these people, including the waiters and owners, valued their privacy.

Tony was hungry, he ended up ordering a turkey sandwich, a plate of waffles, a side of fries, and a coffee on the side. Charlotte ordered a chicken burger with fries, a stack of pancakes, a slice of apple pie, and an orange juice to drink. Their table was covered with plates, and Tony laughed as Charlotte peaked over the top of her stack of pancakes, the girl's eyes widening in delight at the mass of food they were about to glutton themselves on.

When they ate, Tony couldn't help but look at a table where there was a mum, a father, and their son sitting. The boy looked to be older than Charlotte, probably around eleven or twelve, and was happily eating his pancakes. The only times they went out to eat as a family was when his father wanted to make an appearance at a function, Tony couldn't stop seeing himself, which was weird because he couldn't remember a single occasion his parents took him out for breakfast. Tony was always disdainful of activities.

At least he had his mother to keep him company. Had.

When Charlotte stared at her dad to offer him a pancake, she held her tongue when she saw his blank and haunted expression - seeing the boy brought memories that he had burnt a long time before. Not knowing what to do, she merely followed his gaze and stared at the table. Confused, she wanted to speak up to get his attention; she tugged at her dad's arm. "Dad? Are you okay?" she asked timidly.

As he was abruptly pulled back to reality, Tony's body jolted, eye-widened, staring at his daughter. He said, sitting back on his chair to give her a look, "I'm fine sweetie, I was just thinking about you." Apparently, he was going for a false scowl, and Tony realized that he was doing so because she decided not to grin at him, "I'm serious. This is my serious face."

Thinking she had actually done something wrong and was in trouble, Charlotte shrunk back into her seat, clutching her cup of juice in her hands.

"You're growing up. I told you not to do that, remember? I specifically ordered you not to do that." He politely scolded her, still struggling to hang on to his scowl.

Charlotte started giggling as she saw the faintest hint of a smile creep onto her dad's face. She swung her legs happily under the table and stuck out her tongue in her dad's direction.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**November 23rd, 2008**

**14:15 PM**

It had been three weeks since Charlotte's seventh birthday, and things in the Stark household had appeared to return to its usual schedule. Pepper was trying to find a healthy balance of work life and home life. Charlotte's new schooling year was in full swing and she had noticed a distinct increase in the level of her school work. And Tony had been spending every second of the day in his laboratory - this came after Obadiah had informed her dad that the company he had inherited, it was his legacy, had frozen him out of any of their business.

With her father no longer working at Stark Industries, her mom had begun working longer days at the office, picking up the flack on her father's behalf. Charlotte had gotten bored with spending all day with Hugh as her only source of company, and then spending the evenings alone until her mother came home.

"Not the car, not the car!" Charlotte heard her father yell as she tiptoed down the stairs, trying to sneak a look at whatever project he had been working on for the past few months.

As she watched him catapult himself over the vehicles and over one of his desks, her dad kept exclaiming, sending masses of paper scattering across the room. She was watching in awe as her dad seemed to fly. She knew it was some sort of technology that he was using, but in her seven-year-old imagination, her father was soaring before her very eyes.

As he neared the solid concrete wall, Tony threw his hands out in front of him to stop the forward motion. This motion sent him back over the way he came. The bright lights that were emitting from the metal contraptions he wore on his hands, flickered a few times. Charlotte had no idea as to what they were, but she was fascinated by the technology.

As he hovered over the table again, Tony gave a kind of hysterical, anxious laugh, shouting out reassurances to himself, "Could be worse! Alright, we're good! We're fine!"

_Are you? _Charlotte thought to herself as she completely descended the staircase, without being heard.

It seems like Tony was actually getting the hang of the motions, flying back to his original starting position- holding his feet together and his hands out to his side, Tony continued to descend gently and effortlessly to the ground. The lights on his hands suddenly cut out and Charlotte gasped inwardly as Tony allowed himself to fall the remaining few feet to the ground. Sparks flew from his mechanical boots as he stumbled to find his footing.

Stepping up to the plate, her dad gave his boots a kick, in an attempt to recalibrate them. This time, though, a set of robot arms came from in front and behind him. Piece by piece, more components of the newly updated suit of armour was screwed into place, over Tony's body.

Charlotte squealed to herself while still trying to remain hidden.

"Dad is a robot!"

* * *

**16:12 PM**

After witnessing him crash land in his new-fangled suit multiple times, Charlotte decided to announce his presence by bringing her dad an ice pack. Tony was obviously taken aback by his daughter's sudden appearance. While quickly trying to scramble together any sort of viable excuse as to what she had witnessed, he came to the conclusion that it simply could not be done.

The father and daughter were now just sitting across from each other, staring at one another as Tony held the makeshift ice pack to his head. At one of the counters, Charlotte was perched on a stool, watching him avert his eyes from hers to kick a discarded piece of equipment. The girl was startled by the abrupt action.

"Sorry, honey. I'm just frustrated." He apologized, his foot stung a little from his aggressive outburst.

"It's okay. You hit the wall really hard, are you okay?"

Tony let out a tired sigh, exasperated from his experiments. "I didn't realize you were watching me. How much did you see?"

"I didn't see anything," She muttered, giving her dad a coy smile. "I didn't see you use rocket boots to fly around the room. I also didn't see you fly into the wall. Or the desk. Or the window..." Tony laughed and shook his head, earning a giggle from the child. The sweet moment was short-lived as Charlotte folded her arms over the desk and rested her head there. She gave her dad a worried look. "I guess it was a little scary."

Immediately, Tony felt guilty. Firstly, he had been spending as much time with Charlotte as he should have been, leaving her alone for most of the day. And now he had scared her with his reckless and impulsive nature. He could have easily been seriously hurt, and Charlotte would have witnessed everything.

"I'm so sorry, honey, I didn't want to scare you. Come here." As she jumped off the stool and stepped towards him, he beckoned softly when his eyes tracked her little frame. He wrapped an arm around her torso as the space between them closed, and embraced her tightly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my project. And I'm sorry I scared you." Tony placed a kiss on top of her head, snuggled the girl deeper against his chest, the metal of the arc reactor was cool against her flushed skin.

"You always say that you shouldn't keep secrets." Charlotte pouted.

"I know I do, honey."

"I don't like being alone all of the time. I want to come and see you down here, but J.A.R.V.I.S won't let me in." She mumbled into his chest, ignoring the gentle hum of the arc reactor.

Tony paused for a moment, his jaw tensed as he thought seriously about what she had just said. His brows pinched as he spoke. "J.A.R.V.I.S?"

_"Yes, sir?"_

"Add Charlie to the verified security protocol for the lab. But only when I am present."

_"Certainly, sir. Miss Stark's fingerprints have been added to the code pad."  
_

Tony glanced down and, when she leaned back, saw his daughter give him the best and most sincere smile, raising her face from his chest._  
_

"Thank you, dad." She whispered happily, her smile was beaming brightly.

He smiled down at her and kissed her head again. "Don't tell your mother."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**I do not own any of the characters in the MCU. They all belong to their respected creators and owners. I only own my original characters and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

**December 2nd, 2008**

**21:25 PM**

Charlotte has no memory of falling asleep. No dreams came to her head, and that night, her sleep was peaceful and empty. Through the quiet, the air was interrupted by a slight and faint hum. As the noise grew more constant, her eardrum struck, shocking her and forcing her to sit upright in her bed. Her ears were thumping with blood, and she felt as if she could literally collapse backward and close her eyes. In order to restore any of her senses, she had to press her hands over her ears. The pain was immense.

For a long time, once again, the room was suddenly quiet. The ticking of the clock on her nightstand was the only movement she could hear. Charlotte, lowering her hands from her head, wondered what the noise could have been. Now that the piercing thrum had ceased, she could hear the vague mumblings of speech coming from the floor below.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, after fitting her leg. She could also detect a slight hum, but it appeared to vibrate as though it were just her eardrums. Glancing out the window, the sun had fallen deep under the ocean; the moon reflected across the black waters. Making her way to her bedroom door, she could hear voices floating down the corridor.

The voice was certainly not that of her moms, nor was it her dad's. She could have sworn that it was her uncle Obie; she could hear his low and raspy voice, whispering downstairs. What was Obadiah doing here at this time of night? Peaking at the top of the stairs around the glass partition, she remained out of sight. A knot had formed in the pit of her stomach for some reason when a little voice in the back of her mind told her something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Charlotte poked her head around the corner, peering from the balcony down the stairs and into the living room. The lighting in the room was dim, and there was a cozy feeling arising out of the warm fire burning in the corner. Currently, there were two figures in the living room. The first was her father; he was slumped on the couch, his skin a shockingly sickly colour and his eyes were deep-set and tired. The second was Obadiah, he was standing over her father, his hand rested on the arc reactor.

She watched silently as Obadiah leaned forward, mumbling something to her father. As he took a step back, Charlotte gasped, quickly covering her mouth. Obadiah held her father's arc reactor in his hands. She felt sick to her stomach. How could he do this? He was Uncle Obie, he was their friend.

The wires that were connecting the reactor to Tony's body were wrapped around Obadiah's fingers; with a sharp jolt, the wires snapped, disconnecting the magnet from Tony's chest. Charlotte flinched, pressing her hand harder over her mouth as her dad writhed at the sudden action. He was clearly in excruciating pain, his breathing laboured. Uncle Obie was hurting him.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Tony..." Obadiah spoke softly, too low for her to hear it all entirely. Leaning firmly on the back of her palms, Charlotte lifted herself up and slipped down the first four stairs softly, in a seated position. She was careful of her leg, not wanting a sudden metal and glass collision to alert her presence to either of the adults. "What a masterpiece. This is your legacy. Weapons that will help steer the world back on course and put the balance of power in our hands - the right hands. I wish you could see my prototype. It's not, well it's not as conservative as yours." he spoke with a smirk.

_A prototype?_

"Too bad you had to involve Pepper in this, Charlie too. I would have preferred that they both lived..." Obadiah eyed Tony with an evil smirk.

Her heartfelt as though it was trying to push its way out of her throat. Had Uncle Obie hurt her mom? It was a thought that she did not dare to think about. Charlotte could not help the pained whine that escaped her lips. Only enough to be heard down the steps, it echoed, prompting both her father and Obadiah to glance up suddenly.

Obadiah turned back towards her dad, a coy smile on his face. "Now _that_," he pointed a finger in her direction, "is your true legacy." Tony writhed on the couch as Obadiah turned and begun advancing on the staircase.

"You're getting too good at sneaking around," He chuckled dryly, "You're just full of surprises, kid." A furious yell erupted from Tony's chest as he was helpless to protect his daughter; Obadiah stopped walking for a brief moment to turn and glance at Tony.

Charlotte took the distraction as a chance to run upstairs. She knew that she could not retreat to her bedroom, that would be too obvious. Instead, she ran in the opposite direction and entered the very last door of the hallway - a bathroom. Without turning the lights on she locked the door. She could hear Obadiah, he was already making his way down the hallway towards her. She slipped into the linen closet, controlled her breathing, and gently pushed the door closed. Within, it was dark and damp, but the adrenaline coursing through her body made her feel as though her skin were on fire.

She had nowhere else to run. Hiding behind a pile of towels, all she could do was sit and wait.

"Charlie? I know you can hear me." Obadiah's voice was like a taunt in the darkness. "If you don't come out of your hiding place, I'll have to hurt you when I find you. And I really don't want to do that." His voice sounded closer with every second.

The door to the linen closet was slightly ajar, letting the light in from under the bathroom door. She covered her mouth when she saw a shadow cast outside the bathroom door. "Charlotte! I'm not messing around! Come out now!" His voice boomed angrily and three loud bangs pounded on the bathroom door. "I don't have time for this, kid. I'll tell you what, when I've finished killing your mother, I'll come back and break this door down - and then I'll kill you. You're a good kid, but I can't have any loose ends. I can't leave one Stark alive to take my rightful place in the future. I won't let that happen again."

Trembling, Charlotte balled her hands into fists and bit down on them as she openly sobbed. What was Uncle Obie doing this? She could not understand it. She had no idea how much time passed before she heard footsteps retreating down the hallway - the shadow under the door had gone. She counted to thirty, and crawled out of her hiding spot and tip-toeing to the bathroom door, she unlocked it and sneakily peaked out. The hallway was dark and vacant. _It could be a trap._ She pushed aside these thoughts as all she could think about was that her dad was lying downstairs, alone, and dying.

She could hear the faint groans of her father, followed by some thuds and some clattering as objects hit the floor. Not wanting to waste another second, Charlotte set off in a quiet jog down the hallway and quickly hopped down the stairs.

"Dad!" She yelled, seeing her dad lying on the floor. It was apparent that he was clinging on for dear life. Charlotte was only a few steps from her father when she was suddenly pulled back, a scream ripped from her throat.

"Oh no, you don't." Obadiah sneered as he held the child tightly by her arm. He doubled over and grunted when Charlotte kicked him, hard, in the shin with her metal leg. "You're starting to get on my nerves, kid!" As she continued to struggle, Obadiah swore under his breath and wrapped an arm around her middle, hoisting her off the ground and held her tightly to his chest. Charlotte was struggling so much that Obadiah was left with no choice but to pick her up, practically throwing her over his shoulder as he dragged her out of the front door, away from her father.

"Dad! No, stop! Let go of me!"

As he lay on the floor, his chest tightening with every sharp and raspy breath, Tony felt the tears sting in his eyes as he was forced to listen to Charlotte's screams and pleas as she was taken farther and farther away from him. Surely Obadiah would not harm her. Would he?

* * *

"Tony?" The house was dark, as Rhodey walked through the open front door. The only sound he could hear was the fire crackling, but as he noticed the debris that was scattered on the floor, a heavy feeling set in his chest. "Tony?!" He called out, louder. Never in his life had he wanted to hear his friend's voice, more than this moment.

Making his way down to the workshop, Rhodey spied his friend laying on the floor in a crumpled heap, life draining out of him. "Tony? Tony?!" He shouted and ran over, crouching by his side to turn him over. "Tony, open your eyes! Come on, man!" Turning him over so he could see his face, Rhodey inhaled sharply as he took in Tony's deathly pale complexion, sweat covered his brow. In his chest sat a new arc reactor; it was working as his chest was heaving heavily as he struggled to draw breath.

Suddenly Tony's eyes opened, wide and haunted; he reached out and grabbed Rhodey's shoulders, his fingers digging into his jacket. "Where are they?!"

"Pepper is fine. She's with some agents, there's a lot of them, but she's okay." Rhodey reassured him, grabbing his arms and trying to control his movements. Looking around the lab, Rhodey tried to piece together what had happened here. "Tony, where's Charlie?"

Tony swallowed, hard, his jaw locked. "She's gone." He rubbed his eyes, pushing away the tears that remained there.

"What do you mean, she's gone? Tony?"

"He took her." Tony looked up at his friend, his face fell completely, and for the first time in a long time, Rhodey saw vulnerability in him. "Obadiah was here, Rhodey. He took her. She tried to hide, but he found her."

Resting a hand on his shoulder, Rhodey looked his friend square in the eye. "We'll get her back, Tony. She's a smart kid, she'll be alright."

A shuddering breath escaped his throat. "He said he was going to kill her." His voice cracked as he spoke. Obadiah had taken her away from him, and there was nothing he could do but lay there and watch. Rhodey's expression hardened, his shoulders pulled back and squared.

"He's a dead man. I'll make sure of it."

Tony glanced at the iron suit that stood in the display case across the workshop, his eyes were hard and black.

"Not if I get to him first."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

**A longer chapter for you all today - I didn't want to stretch the final showdown out too much. Not 100% happy with this chapter, but we are so close to the end of Iron Man 1! Just one more chapter and then we're going more or less straight into Iron Man 2!**

**I just want to say a massive thank you to Brenaners for their lovely reviews. It makes me so happy to hear that you are enjoying my story and characters - especially when I am having so much fun writing. Thank you :)!**

* * *

Charlotte struggled against the larger man's grip. Obadiah was struggling to maintain control over the girl as he dragged her by her arm down the winding underground tunnels at Stark Industries. She used her freed hand to throw a blindsided punch in his direction, it limply connected with his side and back, but he remained unfazed. Only stopping momentarily to turn abruptly and grip Charlotte by her upper arms. He leaned close and hissed through clenched teeth, "Would you stop squirming? I'm not going to kill you!"

Halting her movements, Charlotte raised a brow and threw Obadiah an apprehensive look. "I'm seven, not stupid."

He took a second to ponder her response before standing up straight. "Fair enough." He continued to lead her down the runways until they reached an underground laboratory. Charlotte noted that they had walked past several alternative renditions of her father's arc reactors, each one seemed as elaborate and expansive as the last.

Pulling open a metal door, Obadiah did not hesitate to shove Charlotte into the cramped and dimly lit room, before following her in. She flinched as the door slammed behind them with a thud that seemed to vibrate through her bones. The chill remained with her as one by one, fluorescent lights began to turn on, revealing the laboratory they were standing in. However, Charlotte's eyes were only fixed on one thing, and one thing only. In the center of the room, surrounded by wiring and circuit boards, was a colossal grey metal suit. Its body was bulky and imposing; it hung from thick, rusting chains, elevated in mid-air. The slightly off-cut, oval headpiece was basic looking with two rectangles for eye holes and a long horizontal slit for a mouthpiece. In the center of the creation, was an empty crevice; wires protruded from five different points.

Charlotte gasped inwardly as she began to piece together the events of that night. Obadiah had attacked her father and left him to die - all for the arc reactor.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He marveled at his creation.

"No." Obadiah folded his arms across his chest and stared down at the girl. She shrugged and glanced at him, not seeming to understand why he was confused by her response. "What? Mom said that it's wrong to lie."

She was too much like her father; he smirked knowing that inevitably, it would be her downfall. "Yeah, well what do you know?" Stalking across the room, he brushed past her, not seeming to notice the shaky breath Charlotte released.

"You're not going to get away with this." He turned abruptly and glared at her. "My dad will come for me. And when he gets here he'll destroy your crappy tin suit." At that moment, any sense of confidence and adrenaline she had, instantly drained from her body. She was scared of Obadiah Stane - he was a dangerously unstable individual, and she knew that he would not think twice about killing her if she stood in his way. If he would not hesitate to harm a child, then what damage could he cause to others, and with a suit of armor?

"Sweetie. No one is coming for you." He crouched down and looked the girl straight in the eyes, "Your dad is dead. And after I kill you, I think I'll pay your mom a visit." His hand whipped out and grabbed her arm, tugging her harshly towards a storage locker at the side of the room.

In an attempt to escape his grasp, Charlotte raised her prosthetic leg high and connected it swiftly with Obadiah, dragging the appendage down his shin. He hissed and recoiled backward slightly, shaking his leg in pain and frustration as the metal dug into his skin and pulled. Charlotte grabbed her window of opportunity and began to run towards the nearest door. She knew that she had approximately ten seconds before Obadiah would compose himself and then he would be coming for her - hunting her down.

The door on the far side of the room seemed to be getting further away, the harder she ran. She couldn't have been more than four feet from the door, with her hand held out. With a yelp, a vice-like grasp on her upper arm pulled Charlotte backward. The hard, calloused fingertips of Obadiah pinched her skin as he closely clenched her upper arm, she could feel his hands shake with rage and frustration.

Without a word, he did not hesitate for a moment before he marched Charlotte back over to the storage locker, and brutishly threw her inside. Her small body crumpled to the floor, having hit the wall, knocking the wind out of her lungs. After regaining her balance, she pounded on the door with closed fists.

"Let me out! Help!" She never heard an answer, only the creak and swing of the laboratory door as it slammed closed, seemingly sealing her fate. Still, she continued to pound on her door, her breath becoming ragged until she was heaving deeply, struggling to take a full breath. She collapsed on the floor and pressed her fists into her eyes as she cried, shaky breaths racked through her small frame. She was all alone.

Her dad was gone, possibly dead. She did not know if Obadiah would be true to his word, but more than likely her mom was in unimaginable danger. Wrapping her arms around her shaking knees, she hugged herself tightly, the coolness of the compressed space leaving a chill on her bones. She bit her quivering lip, wanting someone to hug. But she was alone. No one was coming for her.

* * *

She did not know how much time passed before an explosion suddenly shook the laboratory. Perking up at the sound, Charlotte her gaze towards the door as an array of voices spilled into the room.

"Hey," She choked on her own voice, her throat was dry from crying. "Help me, please!" She scrambled to her feet, stumbling as she pushed herself off the ground. Pressing her hands against the door, she pressed her ear against the door and listened carefully, trying to determine who the voices belonged to. "I'm in here! Help, someone?!"

The door flew open and she staggered out, a pair of hands holding her upright, catching her by the shoulders. "Miss Stark?", a familiar voice spoke.

"Agent Coulson!" She gave an exhale of relief as she looked up through her lashes, tears brimming. Charlotte did not know why, but she felt such a wave of relief wash over her, and she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Coulson's middle. Taken aback, Coulson did not know how to respond to the sudden interaction - the small child was trembling against him, her hands grasped onto his jacket, clinging on fearfully.

"What are you doing here? Where is Stane?" He asked seriously, kneeling to her height and placing a hand on her back, consciously rubbing soothing circles on her back. It was a small gesture, but a one that Charlotte seemed to respond to as her breathing evened and she began to compose herself.

"Obadiah, he-", she was interrupted by the door opening, the sound of metal creaking and then slamming against the concrete wall vibrated around the room. Turning, Charlotte cast her eyes on who had entered the room. Her entire body felt weak as if she would fall over if it were not for Coulson's hand on her shoulder. "Mom!"

Pepper ran into the room, an audible gasp of relief escaped when she saw her daughter. When Rhodey had first called Pepper to inform her of Tony's condition, her heart leaped into her throat as he told her that Obadiah had taken Charlotte. It was every parent's worst nightmare - and hers was coming true. She did not know if when she saw her daughter again, would she be harmed or worse.

"Charlie! Oh my god, honey!" Pepper did not hesitate to pull Charlotte into her arms and hold her in a bone-crushing embrace. The girl wrapped her arms around her mother's middle, pushing her face into her blouse, inhaling the familiar and comforting scent. Pepper crouched down and held Charlotte's face in her hands, brushing her loose hair from her face and drying her dampened cheeks. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Charlotte smiled through tears at her mom, relieved that she was unharmed, despite Obadiah's explicit threats. "I'm okay, Mom! But we have to go, Obadiah he-" She was cut off when suddenly an almighty crash pulled their attention to the far side of the room. Obadiah's monstrosity burst from behind a veiled wall of chains.

Pepper grabbed Charlotte's hand and wrapped an arm across her chest, keeping her pulled close to herself. Numerous agents spilled into the room, guns were drawn and aimed at the iron suit. Coulson too drew his own gun and moved to position himself in front of the Stark's. "You need to get out of here. There's an exit door behind us, take that and just keep running," he ordered, not taking his eyes from the suit.

"But, Phil -" Charlotte tried to interject her concern for the agent. This was only the second time she had met the man, but she felt at ease with him, he had a kind face and a friendly demeanor. She could trust him.

"Don't worry about me," he glanced over his shoulder, giving her a small smile, "I'll catch up."

Suddenly, the suit exploded to life, running at them through the room; the agents started to open fire on the suit. Pepper did not pause to tighten her grip on Charlotte's wrist, pulling her toward the doorway. The pair raced as hard as they could, but Pepper had to keep dragging her upright as she fell on her own feet. She did not look behind her, but Charlotte flinched at the pounding thuds advancing on them as they raced through the main lobby area, towards the entrance of the building. They pushed through the doors, narrowly avoiding the giant metallic arm as Obadiah reached for them.

They both stood in the parking lot, watching as Obadiah's arm became wedged in the doorway to the building. He struggled for several minutes before giving in a retreating back into the building. Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, her hand tightening in her mom's as she felt her legs give way and she sunk to the ground, shivering in the bitter winter wind. Pepper kneeled by her daughter, as she breathed deeply, hugging her close. "You're okay, sweetie. We're safe now."

_I hope._

"Dad?" Her voice was barely a whisper as she looked up at her mom through sodden lashes.

"Your dad is okay. Uncle Rhodey saved him."

Nodding, she did not feel the need to respond as her body once again felt as if she was floating. All her fear and anxiety seemed to flow from her body when she realized that Obadiah had failed - her dad was alive; her mom was alive, and she was alive. As she sat in her mom's arms on the tarmac, Pepper gently rocked her back and forth, while smoothing a hand over her head, occasionally tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Tiredness began to wash over Charlotte, her eyes began to feel tired and hot, more than likely from crying.

_"Pepper?"_

She must have been dreaming when she heard her dad's voice faintly. But the voice spoke again and Pepper raised a hand to her ear, causing Charlotte to sit upright. Looking around, she could not see her dad, but she could hear his voice.

_"Pep, are you there?"_

"Tony? Tony, are you okay?" Pepper asked frantically, pressing the handsfree device further into her ear, the connection was somewhat weak.

_"I'm fine. Did you find Charlie? Are you safe?" _Tony's voice was frantic through the earpiece.

"I found her, she's okay." Pepper lay a cheek atop Charlotte's head, placing a soft kiss on her crown. "A little shaken up, but she's safe."

Charlotte leaned forward so she could hear his voice clearly. "Dad?" She still sounded apprehensive, as if she did not believe it was truly him.

_"Hey, kiddo," _She could hear the relief emitting in his voice as he spoke.

"Dad, I'm so sorry."

_"What? What are you sorry for?"_

"You almost died. I couldn't help you, I was too scared." Hot tears spilled down her cheeks once more.

_"No, sweetie. You were so brave. I -" _Tony continued to talk, however, Charlotte and Pepper were unable to hear him over the sound of the ground suddenly crumbling and caving behind them. The two turned to see the monstrous metal suit, clawing at the tarmac, climbing from the ground. Its bright eyes were trained on the pair, emitting a white glow on their shivering skin. As he lifted his weapon, Obadiah's voice was low, the muzzle of the gun fixed on the mother and daughter as they cowered on the floor.

"Your services are no longer required."


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

**This is a re-upload of chapter 17. For some reason, it was not loading properly for readers. Hopefully, this fixes the glitch!**

* * *

Charlotte clutched her mother's shoulder, widening her eyes in absolute terror. Pepper gasped and staggered backward, pulling Charlotte behind her, throwing her arms around the waist of her mother and hiding her face within her jacket. From above, a distant voice called, prompting them to turn their eyes to the dim night sky.

A shimmer of red and gold skimmed the clouds as it rocketed towards them. "Dad!" exclaimed Charlotte in a combination of relief and astonishment as her dad flew down and crashed into Obadiah, ramming him from the side. Pepper dragged Charlotte against her as debris soared by them, an arm lifted to protect her face from the array of metal and dirt pouring down upon them. The two iron suits collided once more, tumbling down into the hole which Obadiah had crawled out of moments before.

"Dad!" Charlotte called once more, pulling herself from her mother's grasp, she scrambled towards the smoldering concrete crater. The pavement cracked and steamed as she stared into the black abyss.

"Charlie, get away from there," Pepper swiftly pulled her back by the shoulders. She ran a hand through her hair, her skin aglow with a sheen of sweat, and her eyes brimmed with tears as she peered down into the crater, anxiously searching for Tony. Suddenly, a roar vibrated across the tarmac. The pair turned to see Obadiah soaring into the air, his dark suit silhouetted by the moonlight. He was swiftly followed by a much smaller suit - Tony was faster and more agile; he quickly caught up to Obadiah.

They watched for what felt like minutes, but really, it was mere seconds, as the two suits climbed higher and higher into the night sky. "Tony?" Pepper suddenly pressed a hand to her ear, her voice startled Charlotte; she was fixated on the two as they continued their ascent - the dueling pair soon disappeared as they landed on the roof of Stark Industries.

_"This isn't working. We're gonna have to overload the reactor and blast the roof."_

Charlotte looked to her mother as she could faintly make out what her dad was saying. "What does he mean - blast the roof?"

"Hang on, honey," Pepper smoothed a hand over Charlotte's hair, pressing her earpiece in further. She watched her daughter with concerned eyes as she spoke to Tony, "How are you going to do that?"_  
_

_"You're going to have to do it. Go to the central console, open up all the circuits. When I clear the roof I'll let you know and you're gonna hit the master bypass button. That's gonna fry everything up here."_

Pepper grabbed Charlotte's shoulders and looked her in the eye, a stern expression on her face. "I need you to stay here, Charlie."

"But -"

"Please, Charlotte. Just do as I ask." Without waiting for a response, Pepper stood and turned, briskly walking back towards the main door. As she watched her mom vanish into the building, a sense of fear washed over Charlotte; glass from the broken windows crunched under her heels as she paced nervously. The building was being demolished slowly. Outside the tattered building that once stood proud and tall, she was alone. Charlotte could hear voices faintly in the distance- she could tell they were her parents.

"Please be okay. Please. Please." She whispered to herself, her eyes were so tightly closed that she was beginning to see white circles in her vision. A sudden boom rolled through the sky and she whipped her head to the rooftop. A brilliant white glow was emitting from the building as electricity seemed to crackle and pulse from the building. Her heart sunk and a lump formed in her throat as she heard another boom, this time it was followed by an actual explosion; the deep orange glow was vibrant, and lit up the structures of the connecting buildings.

"No! Mom, Dad!" Her feet stung as they pounded against the damp concrete, her body subconsciously carried her towards the building, tears rolled down her face as she stared up at the thick black smoke billowing from the rooftop. Without taking a moment to hesitate, she pushed through the doors to the lobby and pulled open the metal door to the emergency staircase that leads to the rooftop.

A sudden but kind voice from behind her startled her. "Miss Stark! Wait,". Turning abruptly, Charlotte was met by Agent Coulson; he was quickly followed by a small group of agents, all with their guns drawn, their senses were on high alert. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No. My dad, my mom -"

"Your mom is safe. She is downstairs waiting for you."

Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, her body instantly felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "You can't go up there. It isn't safe."

Once he reached her, Coulson placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and gently pushed her behind him. "Stay behind me." He sighed.

Charlotte did what she was told and slowly walked with the group of agents towards the main door to the rooftop. Opening the door cautiously, Coulson stepped out onto the rooftop alone; he held a hand up to signal for the group to remain in the stairwell. The minute that passed was extremely long and Charlotte's anxiety was not subsiding, her heart thumped in her ears as she waited, surrounded by agents. "I've located Stark." Coulson's voice echoed over an agent's radio.

Immediately, Charlotte forced the remaining agents out of her path, pulling herself out of their grasp. Coulson tried to grab her as she ran past, but his fingers just brushed her jacket as she shrugged his hand away. When she caught sight of her dad, her stomach plummeted. Lying on top of a mound of crumbling debris, his suit was dented and damaged beyond repair. When she saw that the arc reactor wasn't glowing, her heart nearly skipped a beat. Charlotte crawled up to her father, whispering a curse under her breath as she fell into the pile of debris, the skin on her knees now scrapped.

"Dad?" Charlotte whispered, collapsing next to him. "Please be okay. Please wake up."Shaking his shoulder gently, Charlotte stared at his closed eyes, desperately wanting them to open. "Dad. Please wake up. I need you." Tears were starting to fill her eyes and she could feel herself etching towards an emotional breaking point. She lowered her head onto her father's chest. Tears were running down her cheeks now as she let out a cry that had broken her heart. "I still need you."

A vibrant glow illuminated her face as soon as she spoke those words. Charlotte gasped and pulled back, sitting upright to see the pulsing arc reactor. She could not stop the grin that emerged on her face as her dad's eyes blinked open.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, kid."

* * *

**December 3rd, 2008**

On the TV television, Charlotte watched the live coverage of the press conference. Her uncle Rhodey stood on the podium, the same one that her father, after returning from Afghanistan, gave his drastic company turnaround speech.

_"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night," _Rhodey spoke clearly._ "There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the Reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal staff -"_

They were all situated in a side room, watching the speech. Tony was sitting reading a newspaper; Pepper attended him, gently rubbing a compact brush on his face in an effort to mask the dark bruise across his eye and jaw. Charlotte stopped watching TV and wandered over to her dad, sitting on the arm of his chair, leaning against his side. Tony embraced the gesture happily and raised his arm so that he could shift it behind Charlotte, holding her in place. He raised his head and gave her temple a kiss; Charlotte looked at the newspaper he was reading at the time._  
_

_"Who is the Iron Man?"_

A photograph of the Mark III suit was under the headline-someone must have taken the photo the previous night, during the clash.

"That's you," she whispered, the skin by her outer eye crinkled as she grinned, looking at the photograph of her dad. Tony smiled at the admiration in his daughter's eyes.

"Hell yeah, that's me," he whispered back, proudly. He winced as Pepper pulled a bandage off the bridge of his nose, an unamused look on her face. "Alright. I owe you a dollar." Tony rolled his eyes, poking Charlotte in the side causing her to giggle and push his hand away.

"Here's your alibi," Agent Coulson stated, standing nearby, as he handed Tony a set of cue cards. "You were on your yacht. We've got port papers that put you on a family trip in Avalon all night. We also have sworn statements from fifty of your guests."

Tony glanced at Pepper, impishly. "How about we say that it was just us on the island? You, me, and Charlie?"

Pepper frowned slightly as she finished making Tony up; she smoothed her hair behind her ear. "That wouldn't work. There needed to be 'witnesses'". Tony opened his mouth as if to speak, but Pepper simply held her fingers to his lips, silencing him. "Just read what is on the cards, and there shouldn't be any questions."

"Alright. I'll stick to the cards." Tony surrendered, gently grasping Pepper's fingers and placing a kiss on them. He glanced at the cards, skimming its content. Reaching the end of his alibi, he looked to Agent Coulson and frowned. "There's nothing about Stane here."

"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record." Coulson enunciated.

Charlotte frowned. So Obadiah was truly dead. Her father told her he had done what he had to protect everybody; she accepted that. Obadiah was a power-hungry man, that was unrecognizable from the man she called her uncle. She was concerned at first, as to why she was not heartbroken by the death of her uncle -she had always been fond of and held affection for him, he had comforted her when her father disappeared. She wasn't able to comprehend why he tried to kill her, why he wanted her, and her family dead.

She supposed that it was an occupational hazard, being the daughter of Tony Stark. There would undoubtedly be people out there, in the world, who would wish to cause harm to her father, to her family, and inevitably to her.

* * *

"And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement," Rhodey announced to the conference room, "He will not be taking any questions. Thank you."

Charlotte and joined her mom and Agent Coulson in the conference room, just as Tony took Rhodey's place at the podium. "Uh..." He began, but trailed off for a second, he seemed taken back by the reporters in front of him. "...it's been a while since I was in front of you. I figured I'll just stick with the cards this time."

The press people all chuckled as Tony cleared his throat. Pepper cast a glance down at her daughter - she was concerned that Tony was not going to follow the cards; she did not want to think about the backlash and repercussions this would create for Charlotte.

"There has been speculation," Tony began, reading from the card. "that I was involved in the events on the freeway and on the rooftop -"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," An all-to-familiar voice cut above the clicking of the reporter's cameras. "But do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared -"

"I don't like her." Charlotte groaned, rolling her eyes as she fixed her glare hard on the back of the blonde woman's head.

"It's okay, sweetie," Pepper commented, running a hand across Charlotte's back. "Nobody does."

"I know that it is confusing," Tony held a hand up, interrupting Christine Everhart. "It is one thing for you to question the official story, and it is another thing entirely to make wild accusations or insinuate that I'm a superhero -"

Christine smiled smugly, talking over him once again. "I never said you were a superhero,"

"You didn't," Charlotte groaned inwardly at the slip up as Tony backtracked, blinking in slight confusion. "Well good, because that would be outlandish and, uh, fantastic -" He glanced back down at his cards, trying to think of an escape from this topic. Christine arched her brow skeptically as if she had triumphed.

"I'm just not the hero type, clearly," Charlotte had watched her dad take part in hundreds of press conferences and interviews, and not once had she ever seen him as nervous as he was at this very moment. "with this, a laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public..." Rhodey put his mouth to Tony's ear and Charlotte watched as he whispered something to her father, who only replied with a nod.

He appeared to be gathering himself together, and the cards in front of his face were helping. "Truth is," He glanced up, and his expression became almost vacant as his eyes landed upon the innocent face of Charlotte, gazing back at him.

"I am Iron Man."

The press conference room was suddenly in an uproar and every reporter, all but Christine Everhart, sprang to their feet.

"Oh god, Tony," Pepper muttered, rubbing her temples, and mentally preparing herself for the upcoming onslaught from the press.

"Hell yeah!" Charlotte cheered, mimicking the same expletive her father muttered a few moments ago. Tony could not help but smile, and his heart swelled with pride, at the look of utter awe that was etched on his daughter's face. "My dad is Iron Man!"


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**I do not own any of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong to their respected owners. I only own the rights to my original character(s), and any storylines I choose to include.**

* * *

It had been two weeks since Tony Stark's grand reveal. The world now believed, just as Coulson had promised, that Obadiah Stane had died during his vacation in an aircraft crash. A funeral was held, and Stark attended, but his name was never discussed again afterward. Obadiah was dead and buried, and everybody was moving on.

Christmas was just around the corner, and because Charlotte had been doing physically and emotionally healthier since the whole debacle, she was eager to enjoy the holidays. Especially since this year had not been a great one for the Stark's. Ten months ago, her father was abducted, and that seriously traumatized the seven-year-old. Even though the adults around her seemed to just move on because her dad was back home, and the dust seemed to have settled, Charlotte continued to have nightmares about her dad. She dreamed, nearly every night that he was not coming home, that the terrorists had succeeded, and that Obadiah had been true to his promise to kill both her and her mother.

She tried not to be too clingy, but her anxiety was heightened over being separated from her parents, and more so from her father. Since the entire world discovered he was Iron Man, Tony was busier than ever. The military was trying to apprehend him and question him about the suits - he hadn't admitted this to Charlotte, but as usual, she was intuitive and observant.

There was, however, still things that she did not understand - she was too young, but she knew that she would grow to understand them, and just possibly, she would face some of the same issues herself.

* * *

**1:37 AM**

All Charlotte wanted was a glass of water. Instead, someone who had broken into her house approached her. At the bottom of the stairs, she froze, watching the mysterious man, her eyes tired and uncertain. How had he gotten inside, and why had J.A.R.V.I.S not alerted them to his intrusion?

"Charlotte Maria Stark." The man said with a smile.

"Oh, we're using middle names?" Charlotte spoke as she walked right by him and into the kitchen, taking a bottle of water from the refrigerator. The man chuckled quietly, and she narrowed her eyes at him. She could not understand how he was acting so calm. He had broken into her house, someone had disabled their security systems, and yet he seemed unfazed.

"You should leave. The police are on their way." She lied.

"No, they aren't," The man replied. "You didn't call the police."

"How do you know that I didn't?"

"Because you're an intelligent girl. If you thought that I was a threat, even for a second, you would have called for your father." He was not wrong. She did not feel unsafe by his sudden presence, just uncertain. Charlotte narrowed her eyes, looking up at the man curiously.

"Maybe I should go and wake my dad?" She had intended for it to sound threatening, but it was more questionable.

"Please do, Miss Stark." He smiled again. "I need to speak to him, as a matter of fact."

"Okay," Charlotte spoke slowly, unsure about this entire conversation. Not taking her eyes off the man as she left the room, she quietly skipped up the stairs and approached her parent's room, cautiously watching over her shoulder as she went. Peering her head around the door, she was met with the soft snores of her father. Her mom was sleeping with her back facing him, her shoulders rising and falling gently.

Walking over to her dad's side of the bed, she was careful not to wake her mom. "Dad," She whispered, gently shaking his shoulder, "wake up."

"Hm?" His voice was groggy and his brows pinched together as he whispered. "Charlie, it is two in the morning. What is it?"

"There's a man downstairs."

Tony's eyes opened quickly, locking with his daughters. Sitting upright in bed he glanced over at Pepper, making sure that he hadn't disturbed her. satisfied that she was still asleep he turned to Charlotte. "What's happening? Who is downstairs?"

"I don't know, a man. He said he needs to talk to you."

Tony gave her a confused stare, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as he pulled a shirt over his chest. Charlotte decided that her dad was moving too slow for her liking and so she grabbed ahold of his hand and quickly led him down the hallway to the stairs. Once she had dragged him into the living room, she saw that the man now had his back turned to them as he gazed out of the tall windows.

Tony looked at the man, confused by the entire situation. Placing a firm hand on her shoulder, he moved Charlotte so she was positioned behind him. Her small fists tightly grasped his shirt.

"_I am Iron Man_." The man spoke, turning and walking towards the pair. "Do you think that you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you have become part of a bigger universe, you just don't know it yet."

"Who the hell are you?" Tony asked, still holding his arm tightly around Charlotte's shoulder as the girl looked up between him and the man.

The man walked forward, stepping into the light and Charlotte was finally able to get a better look at him. He was bald, his face was aged, but not old. An eyepatch covered his left eye. He was well dressed in black; he gave Charlotte a quick, reassuring smile before speaking, "I'm Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. You may have heard of us as the Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enfor -"

"Enforcement and Logistics Department. Looks like Phil found an acronym." Charlotte chipped in, smiling. Nick Fury tilted his head and looked at the girl, an impressed glint in his eye. Meanwhile Tony frowned as he looked down at his daughter, confused. Noticing the glances of the two men, she shrunk further behind her dad, shrugging. "Why are you here, Mr. Fury?" Nick looked at the girl for a few seconds, intrigued, before turning his gaze back to Tony.

"I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative."


End file.
